Proverbs 2:12-3:19

English Standard Version

¹²delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
¹³who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to ^(A)walk in the ways of darkness,
¹⁴who ^(B)rejoice in doing evil
    and ^(C)delight in the perverseness of evil,
¹⁵men whose ^(D)paths are crooked,
    ^(E)and who are ^(F)devious in their ways.

¹⁶So ^(G)you will be delivered from the forbidden^[a] woman,
    from ^(H)the adulteress^[b] with ^(I)her smooth words,
¹⁷who forsakes ^(J)the companion of her youth
    and forgets ^(K)the covenant of her God;
¹⁸^(L)for her house sinks down to death,
    and her paths to the departed;^[c]
¹⁹none who go to her come back,
    nor do they regain the paths of life.

²⁰So you will walk in the way of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
²¹For the upright ^(M)will inhabit the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it,
²²but the wicked will be ^(N)cut off from the land,
    and the treacherous will be ^(O)rooted out of it.

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

3 ^(P)My son, do not forget my teaching,
^(Q)but let your heart keep my commandments,
²for ^(R)length of days and years of life
and ^(S)peace they will add to you.

³Let not ^(T)steadfast love and ^(U)faithfulness forsake you;
    ^(V)bind them around your neck;
    ^(W)write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴So you will ^(X)find favor and ^(Y)good success^[d]
    in the sight of God and man.

⁵^(Z)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and ^(AA)do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶In all your ways ^(AB)acknowledge him,
    and he ^(AC)will make straight your paths.
⁷^(AD)Be not wise in your own eyes;
    ^(AE)fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸It will be ^(AF)healing to your flesh^[e]
    and ^(AG)refreshment^[f] to your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with ^(AH)the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰then your ^(AI)barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹^(AJ)My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
¹²for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as ^(AK)a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

¹³^(AL)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
¹⁴^(AM)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than ^(AN)gold.
¹⁵She is more precious than ^(AO)jewels,
    and ^(AP)nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶^(AQ)Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are ^(AR)riches and honor.
¹⁷Her ^(AS)ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸She is ^(AT)a tree of life to those who ^(AU)lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.