11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.(A)

12 Wisdom will save(B) you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,(C)
14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,(D)
15 whose paths are crooked(E)
    and who are devious in their ways.(F)

16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(G)
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.[a](H)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.(I)
19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.(J)

20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,(K)
    and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked(L) will be cut off from the land,(M)
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.(N)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God

11 Wise choices will watch over you.
    Understanding will keep you safe.

12 Wisdom will save you from evil people,
    from those whose words are twisted.
13 These men turn from the right way
    to walk down dark paths.
14 They take pleasure in doing wrong,
    and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
15 Their actions are crooked,
    and their ways are wrong.

16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
    from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
17 She has abandoned her husband
    and ignores the covenant she made before God.
18 Entering her house leads to death;
    it is the road to the grave.[a]
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
    He will never reach the paths of life.

20 So follow the steps of the good,
    and stay on the paths of the righteous.
21 For only the godly will live in the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be removed from the land,
    and the treacherous will be uprooted.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2:18 Hebrew to the spirits of the dead.

11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read full chapter

11 Discretion will preserve you;
(A)Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To (B)walk in the ways of darkness;
14 (C)Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 (D)Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
16 To deliver you from (E)the immoral woman,
(F)From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For (G)her house [a]leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
Nor do they [b]regain the paths of life—
20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
21 For the upright will dwell in the (H)land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be [c]cut off from the [d]earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:18 sinks
  2. Proverbs 2:19 Lit. reach
  3. Proverbs 2:22 destroyed
  4. Proverbs 2:22 land

31 Do not envy(A) the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

32 For the Lord detests the perverse(B)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.(C)

Read full chapter

31 Don’t envy violent people
    or copy their ways.
32 Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord,
    but he offers his friendship to the godly.

Read full chapter

31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

32 For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

Read full chapter

31 (A)Do not envy the oppressor,
And choose none of his ways;
32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord,
(B)But His secret counsel is with the upright.

Read full chapter

12 A troublemaker and a villain,
    who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13     who winks maliciously with his eye,(A)
    signals with his feet
    and motions with his fingers,(B)
14     who plots evil(C) with deceit in his heart—
    he always stirs up conflict.(D)
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;(E)
    he will suddenly(F) be destroyed—without remedy.(G)

Read full chapter

12 What are worthless and wicked people like?
    They are constant liars,
13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,
    a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
14 Their perverted hearts plot evil,
    and they constantly stir up trouble.
15 But they will be destroyed suddenly,
    broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.

Read full chapter

12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

Read full chapter

The Wicked Man

12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
13 (A)He winks with his eyes,
He [a]shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
14 Perversity is in his heart,
(B)He devises evil continually,
(C)He sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come (D)suddenly;
Suddenly he shall (E)be broken (F)without remedy.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:13 gives signals, lit. scrapes

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[a](A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence

The godly are showered with blessings;
    the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

Read full chapter

Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

Read full chapter

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

Read full chapter

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(A)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(B)

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.(C)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(D)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(E)

Read full chapter

11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain;
    the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

12 Hatred stirs up quarrels,
    but love makes up for all offenses.

13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding,
    but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.

Read full chapter

11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

Read full chapter

11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But (A)love covers all sins.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But (B)a rod is for the back of him who [a]is devoid of understanding.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:13 Lit. lacks heart

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(A)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

Read full chapter

18 Hiding hatred makes you a liar;
    slandering others makes you a fool.

Read full chapter

18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

Read full chapter

18 Whoever (A)hides hatred has lying lips,
And (B)whoever spreads slander is a fool.

Read full chapter

13 A gossip betrays a confidence,(A)
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.(B)

Read full chapter

13 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
    but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

Read full chapter

13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Read full chapter

13 (A)A talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is of a faithful spirit (B)conceals a matter.

Read full chapter