Proverbs 2:5-20

English Standard Version

⁵then ^(A)you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
⁶For ^(B)the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
⁷he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is ^(C)a shield to those who ^(D)walk in integrity,
⁸guarding the paths of justice
    and ^(E)watching over the way of his ^(F)saints.
⁹^(G)Then you will understand ^(H)righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
¹⁰for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
¹¹^(I)discretion will ^(J)watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,
¹²delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
¹³who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to ^(K)walk in the ways of darkness,
¹⁴who ^(L)rejoice in doing evil
    and ^(M)delight in the perverseness of evil,
¹⁵men whose ^(N)paths are crooked,
    ^(O)and who are ^(P)devious in their ways.

¹⁶So ^(Q)you will be delivered from the forbidden^[a] woman,
    from ^(R)the adulteress^[b] with ^(S)her smooth words,
¹⁷who forsakes ^(T)the companion of her youth
    and forgets ^(U)the covenant of her God;
¹⁸^(V)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.