Proverbs 2

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

My son, listen to what I say, and [consider my instructions to be as valuable as] [MET] a treasure.

2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;

Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.

3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;

Call out [to God] to get insight; plead with him to help you to understand more [of what he wants you to know].

4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;

Search [eagerly] for wisdom, like you would search for silver, like you would search for a treasure that someone has hidden.

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh, and you will succeed in knowing God.

6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.

Yahweh is the one who gives us wisdom. He is the one who tells us things that we need to know and understand.

7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

He gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should. He protects [MET] those who do what is right.

8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

He guards those who act justly/fairly [toward others], and he watches over those who are faithful/loyal [to him].

9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path.

[If you ask God for wisdom], you will understand what is right and just [DOU] [to do], and [you will know] the right way to conduct your life,

10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

because you will be wise in your inner being; and knowing [what God wants you to know] will cause you to be joyful.

11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

If you know [PRS] how to choose what is right to do and if you understand [what God wants] you to do, God will protect you and guard you and keep you safe.

12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil [man], from the man that speaketh froward things;

If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do, and you will not [believe what] deceitful people say.

13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

Deceitful people have stopped acting fairly/justly [toward others] and (walk on dark and evil paths/do what evil people do) [MET].

14 Who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

They enjoy doing what is wrong; they like to do what is evil and to deceive [people].

15 Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths:

They (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) and are always dishonest.

16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, [even] from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words;

If you are wise [PRS], you will [also] be saved from (immoral women/prostitutes); you will not pay attention when adulterous women try to (seduce/entice you by what they say.)

17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

Those women have left the husbands whom they married when they were young; they have disregarded the solemn promise they made to God [not to commit adultery].

18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

If you go into houses of women who are like that, you will die [when you are still young]; the road [to their houses] leads to hell. (questioned)

19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

No man who (visits/sleeps with) a woman like that will again [live harmoniously with his family]. He will never have a [happy] life again.

20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good [men], and keep the paths of the righteous.

If [you are wise], you should behave like good men behave. You should (stay on the paths that righteous [people] walk on/do what godly people do) [MET],

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

because only godly people will live in this land [and receive God’s blessings]; [only] those who have not done wrong will stay here [for a long time].

22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Wicked [people] will be expelled from this land, and [people] who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.