Proverbs 2

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

[My] son, if you will receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with you;

2 Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.

your ear shall listen to wisdom; you shall also apply your heart to understanding, and shall apply it to the instruction of your son.

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

For it you shall call to wisdom, and utter your voice for understanding;

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

and if you shall seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;

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

then shall you understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of 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.

For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence [come] knowledge and understanding,

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

and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;

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

that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear 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,

Then shall you understand righteousness, and judgment; and shall direct all your course aright.

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

For if wisdom shall come into your understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to your soul,

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.

good counsel shall guard you, and holy understanding shall keep you;

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

to deliver you from the evil way, and from the man that speaks nothing faithfully.

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

Alas [for those] who forsake right paths, to walk in ways of darkness;

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

who rejoice in evils, and delight in wicked perverseness;

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

whose paths are crooked, and their courses winding;

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.)

to remove you far from the straight way, and to estrange you from a righteous purpose. [My] son, let not evil counsel overtake you,

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].

[of her] who has forsaken the instruction of her youth, and forgotten the covenant of God.

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. (questioned)

For she has fixed her house near death, and [guided] her wheels near Hades with the giants.

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.

None that go by her shall return, neither shall they take hold of right paths, for they are not apprehended of the years of life.

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],

For had they gone in good paths, they would have found the paths of righteousness easy.

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].

For the upright shall dwell in the earth, and the holy shall be left behind in it.

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.

The paths of the ungodly shall perish out of the earth, and transgressors shall be driven away from it.