Proverbs 2
Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom’s Worth
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)
Proverbs 2
English Standard Version
The Value of Wisdom
2 (A)My son, (B)if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice (C)for understanding,
4 if you seek it like (D)silver
and search for it as for (E)hidden treasures,
5 then (F)you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For (G)the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is (H)a shield to those who (I)walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and (J)watching over the way of his (K)saints.
9 (L)Then you will understand (M)righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 (N)discretion will (O)watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
to (P)walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who (Q)rejoice in doing evil
and (R)delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose (S)paths are crooked,
(T)and who are (U)devious in their ways.
16 So (V)you will be delivered from the forbidden[a] woman,
from (W)the adulteress[b] with (X)her smooth words,
17 who forsakes (Y)the companion of her youth
and forgets (Z)the covenant of her God;
18 (AA)for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the departed;[c]
19 none who go to her come back,
nor do they regain the paths of life.
20 So you will walk in the way of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright (AB)will inhabit the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it,
22 but the wicked will be (AC)cut off from the land,
and the treacherous will be (AD)rooted out of it.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 2:16 Hebrew strange
- Proverbs 2:16 Hebrew foreign woman
- Proverbs 2:18 Hebrew to the Rephaim
Proverbs 3:13-24
Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom Brings Happiness
13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom(A)
and who acquires understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.(B)
15 She is more precious than jewels;(C)
nothing you desire can equal her.(D)
16 Long life[a] is in her right hand;
in her left, riches and honor.(E)
17 Her ways are pleasant,(F)
and all her paths, peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life(G) to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.
19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom(H)
and established the heavens by understanding.
20 By his knowledge the watery depths broke open,(I)
and the clouds dripped with dew.(J)
21 Maintain sound wisdom and discretion.
My son, don’t lose sight of them.(K)
22 They will be life for you[b](L)
and adornment[c] for your neck.
23 Then you will go safely on your way;
your foot will not stumble.(M)
24 When you lie[d] down, you will not be afraid;(N)
you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.
Proverbs 3:13-24
English Standard Version
Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom
13 (A)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 (B)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than (C)gold.
15 She is more precious than (D)jewels,
and (E)nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 (F)Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are (G)riches and honor.
17 Her (H)ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is (I)a tree of life to those who (J)lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.
19 (K)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding (L)he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge (M)the deeps broke open,
and (N)the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, (O)do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be (P)life for your soul
and (Q)adornment for your neck.
23 (R)Then you will walk on your way securely,
(S)and your foot will not stumble.
24 (T)If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, (U)your sleep will be sweet.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
