< Proverbs 2 >
1 My son, listen to what I say, and [consider my instructions to be as valuable as] [MET] a treasure.
2 Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.
3 Call out [to God] to get insight; plead with him to help you to understand more [of what he wants you to know].
4 Search [eagerly] for wisdom, like you would search for silver, like you would search for a treasure that someone has hidden.
5 If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh, and you will succeed in knowing God.
6 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 gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should. He protects [MET] those who do what is right.
8 He guards those who act justly/fairly [toward others], and he watches over those who are faithful/loyal [to him].
9 [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 because you will be wise in your inner being; and knowing [what God wants you to know] will cause you to be joyful.
11 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 If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do, and you will not [believe what] deceitful people say.
13 Deceitful people have stopped acting fairly/justly [toward others] and (walk on dark and evil paths/do what evil people do) [MET].
14 They enjoy doing what is wrong; they like to do what is evil and to deceive [people].
15 They (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) and are always dishonest.
16 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 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 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. ()
19 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 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 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 Wicked [people] will be expelled from this land, and [people] who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.
