Add parallel Print Page Options

11 prudence will watch over you,
    and understanding will guard you.
12 It will save you from the way of evil,
    from those who speak perversely,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to walk in the ways of darkness,(A)
14 who rejoice in doing evil
    and delight in the perverseness of evil,(B)
15 those whose paths are crooked
    and who are devious in their ways.(C)

16 You will be saved from the loose woman,[a]
    from the adulteress[b] with her smooth words,(D)
17 who forsakes the partner of her youth
    and forgets her sacred covenant,
18 for her way[c] leads down to death
    and her paths to the shades;(E)
19 those who go to her never come back,
    nor do they regain the paths of life.

20 Therefore walk in the way of the good,
    and keep to the paths of the just.
21 For the upright will abide in the land,
    and the innocent will remain in it,(F)
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
    and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.(G)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2.16 Heb strange woman
  2. 2.16 Heb alien woman
  3. 2.18 Cn: Heb house

11 Discretion will guard you;
    understanding will protect you.
12 Wisdom will rescue you from the evil path,
    from people who twist their words.
13 They forsake the way of integrity
    and go on obscure paths.
14 They enjoy doing evil,
    rejoicing in their twisted evil.
15 Their paths are confused;
    they get lost on their way.
16 Wisdom will rescue you from the mysterious woman,
    from the foreign woman with her slick words.
17 She leaves behind the partner of her youth;
    she even forgets her covenant with God.
18 Her house sinks down to death,
    and her paths go down to the shadowy dead.
19 All those who go to her will never return;
    they will never again reach the ways of the living.
20 So you should stay on the path of good people,
    guarding the road of the righteous.
21 Those who have integrity will dwell in the land;
    the innocent will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land,
    and the treacherous will be ripped up.

Read full chapter

31 Do not envy the violent,
    and do not choose any of their ways,(A)
32 for the perverse are an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are in his confidence.(B)

Read full chapter

31 Don’t envy violent people
    or choose any of their ways.
32 Devious people are detestable to the Lord,
    but the virtuous are his close friends.

Read full chapter

12 A scoundrel and a villain
    goes around with crooked speech,(A)
13 winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,
    pointing the fingers,(B)
14 with perverted mind devising evil,
    continually sowing discord;(C)
15 on such a one calamity will descend suddenly,
    in a moment, damage beyond repair.(D)

Read full chapter

12 Worthless people and guilty people
    go around with crooked talk.
13 They wink their eyes, gesture with their feet,
    and point with their fingers.
14 Their hearts are corrupt and determined to do evil;
    they create controversies all the time.
15 Therefore, sudden disaster will come upon them;
    they will be quickly broken beyond healing.

Read full chapter

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(A)

Read full chapter

Blessings cover the head of the righteous,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Read full chapter

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(A)
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers all offenses.(B)
13 On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.(C)

Read full chapter

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hate stirs up conflict,
    but love covers all offenses.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of those who have understanding,
    but there is a rod for the back of those with no sense.

Read full chapter

18 Lying lips conceal hatred,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Read full chapter

18 Lying lips conceal hate,
    and those who spread slander are fools.

Read full chapter

13 A gossip goes about telling secrets,
    but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.(A)

Read full chapter

13 A slanderer walks around revealing secrets,
    but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

Read full chapter

15 Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to advice.(A)
16 Fools show their anger at once,
    but the prudent ignore an insult.(B)
17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
    but a false witness speaks deceitfully.(C)
18 Rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(D)

Read full chapter

15 Fools see their own way as right,
    but the wise listen to advice.
16 Fools reveal their anger right away,
    but the shrewd hide their contempt.
17 Those who state the truth speak justly,
    but a false witness deceives.
18 Some chatter on like a stabbing sword,
    but a wise tongue heals.

Read full chapter

16 The clever do all things intelligently,
    but the fool displays folly.(A)

Read full chapter

16 The prudent all act intelligently,
    but fools display their stupidity.

Read full chapter

27 Scoundrels concoct evil,
    and their speech is like a scorching fire.(A)
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.(B)
29 The violent entice their neighbors
    and lead them in a way that is not good.(C)
30 One who winks the eyes plans[a] perverse things;
    one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 16.30 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb to plan

27 Worthless people dig up trouble;
    their lips are like a scorching fire.
28 Destructive people produce conflict;
    gossips alienate close friends.
29 Violent people entice their neighbors
    and walk them down a path that isn’t good.
30 Those who wink their eye plot destruction;
    those who purse their lips plan evil.

Read full chapter

An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.

Read full chapter

An evildoer pays attention to guilty lips;
    a liar listens to a destructive tongue.

Read full chapter

One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,
    but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.(A)

Read full chapter

One who seeks love conceals an offense,
    but one who repeats it divides friends.

Read full chapter