Proverbs 2
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my sayings, and, my commandments, wilt treasure up by thee;
My son, listen to what I say, and [consider my instructions to be as valuable as] [MET] a treasure.
2 So that thou direct, unto wisdom, thine ear, bend thy heart, unto understanding;
Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.
3 Yea if, for understanding, thou cry aloud, for knowledge, utter thy voice;
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 seek her as silver, and, like hid treasure, thou search for her,
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 reverence of Yahweh, and, the knowledge of God, shalt thou find.
If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh, and you will succeed in knowing God.
6 For, Yahweh, giveth wisdom, out of his mouth, 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 Yea he treasureth, for the upright, safety, A shield [is he] to them who walk in integrity,
He gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should. He protects [MET] those who do what is right.
8 To him that observeth the paths of justice, yea, the way of his men of lovingkindness, he doth guard.
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 justice, and equity—every noble course.
[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 thy heart, and, knowledge, to thy soul, is sweet,
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 watch over thee, understanding, shall preserve 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 rescue thee from the way of the wrongful, from the man that speaketh perverse things;
If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do, and you will not [believe what] deceitful people say.
13 From them who forsake the paths of rectitude, 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 wrong, exult in the perversities of the wrongful;
They enjoy doing what is wrong; they like to do what is evil and to deceive [people].
15 Whose paths, are twisted, and they are tortuous in their tracks:
They (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) and are always dishonest.
16 To rescue thee, from the woman that is a stranger, from the female unknown, who with her speeches seduceth;
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 Who forsaketh the friend of her youth, and, the covenant of her God, hath forgotten;
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 she hath appointed, unto death, her house, and unto the shades, her courses;
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 who go in unto her, come back, neither attain they unto 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 To the end that thou walk in the way of good men, and, the paths of the righteous, that thou observe.
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 abide on the earth, —and, the men of integrity, shall remain therein;
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 lawless, out of the earth, shall be cut off, and, traitors, shall they tear away therefrom.
Wicked [people] will be expelled from this land, and [people] who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.
