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My son, if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments within thee,

so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding;

yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasure,

then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints.

Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity, yea, every good path.

10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul,

11 discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee,

12 to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from men 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 who are froward in their paths.

16 Wisdom will deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger, who flattereth with her words,

17 who 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 Thus thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep to 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.

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My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
And lay up my commandments with thee;
So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom,
And apply thy heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou cry after discernment,
And lift up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hid treasures:
Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah,
And find the knowledge of God.
For Jehovah giveth wisdom;
Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:
He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright;
[a]He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
[b]That he may guard the paths of justice,
[c]And preserve the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice,
And equity, yea, every good path.
10 For wisdom shall enter into thy heart,
And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
11 Discretion shall watch over thee;
Understanding shall keep thee:
12 To deliver thee from the way of [d]evil,
From the men that speak perverse things;
13 Who forsake the paths of uprightness,
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice to do evil,
And delight in the perverseness of [e]evil;
15 Who are crooked in their ways,
And wayward in their paths:
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman,
Even from the foreigner that [f]flattereth with her words;
17 That forsaketh the [g]friend of her youth,
And forgetteth the covenant of her God:
18 For [h]her house inclineth unto death,
And her paths unto [i]the dead;
19 None that go unto her return again,
Neither do they attain unto 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 [j]land,
And the perfect shall remain in it.
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the land,
[k]And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:7 Or, And a shield for etc.
  2. Proverbs 2:8 Or, That they may keep
  3. Proverbs 2:8 Or, Yea, he preserveth
  4. Proverbs 2:12 Or, the evil man
  5. Proverbs 2:14 Or, the evil man
  6. Proverbs 2:16 Hebrew maketh smooth her words.
  7. Proverbs 2:17 Or, guide
  8. Proverbs 2:18 Or, she sinketh down unto death, which is her house
  9. Proverbs 2:18 Or, the shades. Hebrew Rephaim.
  10. Proverbs 2:21 Or, earth
  11. Proverbs 2:22 Or, earth

13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding;

14 for the merchandising of it is better than the merchandising of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her.

16 Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is everyone that retaineth her.

19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens;

20 by His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, let not these depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion;

22 so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace around thy neck.

23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble;

24 when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

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13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that [a]getteth understanding.
14 For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver,
And the profit thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies:
And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
And happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths were broken up,
And the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul,
And grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely,
And [b]thy foot shall not stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:
Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:13 Hebrew draweth forth.
  2. Proverbs 3:23 Hebrew thou shalt not dash thy foot.