He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a (A)shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice,
And He (B)watches over the way of His godly ones.
Then you will discern (C)righteousness, justice,
And integrity, and every (D)good path.
10 For (E)wisdom will enter your heart,
And (F)knowledge will be delightful to your soul;
11 Discretion will (G)watch over you,
Understanding will guard you,
12 To (H)rescue you from the way of evil,
From a person who speaks (I)perverse things;
13 From those who (J)leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the (K)ways of darkness;
14 Who (L)delight in doing evil
And rejoice in the perversity of evil;
15 Whose paths are (M)crooked,
And who are devious in their ways;
16 To (N)rescue you from the strange woman,
From the (O)foreign woman who flatters with her words,
17 Who leaves the (P)companion of her youth
And forgets the (Q)covenant of her God;
18 For (R)her house sinks down to death,
And her tracks lead to the [a]dead;
19 None (S)who go to her return,
Nor do they reach the (T)paths of life.
20 So you will (U)walk in the way of good people
And keep to the (V)paths of the righteous.
21 For (W)the upright will live in the land,
And (X)the blameless will remain in it;
22 But (Y)the wicked will be eliminated from the land,
And (Z)the treacherous will be (AA)torn away from it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:18 Lit departed spirits

He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
    and protects those who are faithful to him.

Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
    and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
    Understanding will keep you safe.

12 Wisdom will save you from evil people,
    from those whose words are twisted.
13 These men turn from the right way
    to walk down dark paths.
14 They take pleasure in doing wrong,
    and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
15 Their actions are crooked,
    and their ways are wrong.

16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
    from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
17 She has abandoned her husband
    and ignores the covenant she made before God.
18 Entering her house leads to death;
    it is the road to the grave.[a]
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
    He will never reach the paths of life.

20 So follow the steps of the good,
    and stay on the paths of the righteous.
21 For only the godly will live in the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be removed from the land,
    and the treacherous will be uprooted.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:18 Hebrew to the spirits of the dead.

20 (A)My son, comply with the commandment of your father,
And do not ignore the [a]teaching of your mother;
21 (B)Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you (C)walk, [b]they will guide you;
When you sleep, [c]they will watch over you;
And when you awake, [d]they will talk to you.
23 For (D)the commandment is a lamp and the [e]teaching is light;
And rebukes for discipline are the way of life
24 To (E)keep you from the evil woman,
From the smooth tongue of the foreign woman.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:20 Or law
  2. Proverbs 6:22 Lit she
  3. Proverbs 6:22 Lit she
  4. Proverbs 6:22 Lit she
  5. Proverbs 6:23 Or law

20 My son, obey your father’s commands,
    and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
21 Keep their words always in your heart.
    Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, their counsel will lead you.
    When you sleep, they will protect you.
    When you wake up, they will advise you.
23 For their command is a lamp
    and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline
    is the way to life.
24 It will keep you from the immoral woman,
    from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman.

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The Lures of the Prostitute

My son, (A)keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.
(B)Keep my commandments and live,
And my [a]teaching (C)as the [b]apple of your eye.
(D)Bind them on your fingers;
(E)Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your intimate friend,
So that they may keep you from an [c]adulteress,
From the foreigner who flatters with her words.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:2 Or law
  2. Proverbs 7:2 Lit pupil
  3. Proverbs 7:5 Lit strange woman

Another Warning about Immoral Women

Follow my advice, my son;
    always treasure my commands.
Obey my commands and live!
    Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.[a]
Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.

Love wisdom like a sister;
    make insight a beloved member of your family.
Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,
    from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:2 Hebrew as the pupil of your eye.

19 When there are (A)many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,
But (B)one who restrains his lips is wise.

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19 Too much talk leads to sin.
    Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

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In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But (A)the lips of the wise will protect them.

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A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him,
    but the words of the wise keep them safe.

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10 The (A)name of the Lord is a (B)strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and (C)is [a]safe.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:10 Lit set on high

10 The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;
    the godly run to him and are safe.

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23 One who (A)guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.

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23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
    and you will stay out of trouble.

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(A)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
One who guards himself will be far from them.

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Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road;
    whoever values life will avoid it.

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24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger,
Or go with a (A)hot-tempered person,
25 Or you will (B)learn his ways
And [a]find a snare for yourself.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:25 Lit take

24 Don’t befriend angry people
    or associate with hot-tempered people,
25 or you will learn to be like them
    and endanger your soul.

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