Proverbs 2-4

Christian Standard Bible

2 My son, if you accept my words^(A)
and store up my commands within you,
² listening closely^[a] to wisdom
and directing your heart to understanding;
³ furthermore, if you call out to insight
and lift your voice to understanding,
⁴ if you seek it like silver
and search for it like hidden treasure,^(B)
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and discover the knowledge of God.
⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.^(C)
7 He stores up success^[b] for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity^(D)
8 so that he may guard the paths of justice
and protect the way of his faithful followers.^(E)
9 Then you will understand righteousness, justice,
and integrity—every good path.
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will delight you.
¹¹ Discretion will watch over you,
and understanding will guard you.^(F)
12 It will rescue you from the way of evil—
from anyone who says perverse things,
¹³ from those who abandon the right paths
to walk in ways of darkness,^(G)
14 from those who enjoy doing evil^(H)
and celebrate perversion,
¹⁵ whose paths are crooked,^(I)
and whose ways are devious.^(J)
16 It will rescue you from a forbidden woman,^(K)
from a wayward woman with her flattering talk,^(L)
17 who abandons the companion of her youth^(M)
and forgets the covenant of her God;
¹⁸ for her house sinks down to death
and her ways to the land of the departed spirits.^(N)
19 None return who go to her;
none reach the paths of life.^(O)
20 So follow the way of the good,^(P)
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
²¹ For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those of integrity will remain in it;^(Q)
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,^(R)
and the treacherous ripped out of it.^(S)

3 My son, don’t forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commands;^(T)
2 for they will bring you
many days, a full life,^[c](U) and well-being.^(V)
3 Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.^(W)
4 Then you will find favor and high regard
with God and people.^(X)

¹³ Happy is a man who finds wisdom^(AJ)
and who acquires understanding,
¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.^(AK)
15 She is more precious than jewels;^(AL)
nothing you desire can equal her.^(AM)
16 Long life^[e] is in her right hand;
in her left, riches and honor.^(AN)
17 Her ways are pleasant,^(AO)
and all her paths, peaceful.
¹⁸ She is a tree of life^(AP) to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.

²⁷ When it is in your power,^[j]
don’t withhold good^(AZ) from the one to whom it belongs.
²⁸ Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later.
I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you.^(BA)
29 Don’t plan any harm against your neighbor,^(BB)
for he trusts you and lives near you.
³⁰ Don’t accuse anyone without cause,^(BC)
when he has done you no harm.
³¹ Don’t envy a violent man^(BD)
or choose any of his ways;
³² for the devious are detestable to the Lord,
but he is a friend^[k] to the upright.^(BE)
33 The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked,^(BF)
but he blesses the home of the righteous;
³⁴ He mocks those who mock
but gives grace to the humble.^(BG)
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but he holds up fools to dishonor.^[l]

4 Listen, sons, to a father’s discipline,^(BH)
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
² for I am giving you good instruction.^(BI)
Don’t abandon my teaching.
³ When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,
⁴ he taught me and said,
“Your heart must hold on to my words.
Keep my commands and live.^(BJ)
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;^(BK)
don’t forget or turn away from the words from my mouth.
⁶ Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her,^(BL) and she will guard you.
⁷ Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.^(BM)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.^(BN)
9 She will place a garland of favor on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”^(BO)

¹⁰ Listen, my son. Accept my words,^(BP)
and you will live many years.^(BQ)
11 I am teaching you the way of wisdom;
I am guiding you on straight paths.^(BR)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered;^(BS)
when you run, you will not stumble.^(BT)
13 Hold on to instruction; don’t let go.^(BU)
Guard it, for it is your life.
¹⁴ Keep off the path of the wicked;^(BV)
don’t proceed on the way of evil ones.
¹⁵ Avoid it; don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it, and pass it by.
¹⁶ For they can’t sleep
unless they have done what is evil;
they are robbed of sleep
unless they make someone stumble.^(BW)
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,^(BX)
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;^(BY)
they don’t know what makes them stumble.^(BZ)

²⁰ My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.^(CA)
21 Don’t lose sight of them;^(CB)
keep them within your heart.
²² For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.
²³ Guard your heart above all else,^[m]
for it is the source of life.^(CC)
24 Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly,^(CD)
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
²⁵ Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze^[n] straight ahead.^(CE)
26 Carefully consider the path^[o] for your feet,^(CF)
and all your ways will be established.
²⁷ Don’t turn to the right or to the left;^(CG)
keep your feet away from evil.