Proverbs 2:7-22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,(A)
8 guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his faithful ones.(B)
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path,(C)
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
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,(D)
14 who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,(E)
15 those whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.(F)
16 You will be saved from the loose woman,[a]
from the adulteress[b] with her smooth words,(G)
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;(H)
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,(I)
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.(J)
Proverbs 2:7-22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
7 He stores up success[a] for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity(A)
8 so that He may guard the paths of justice
and protect the way of His loyal followers.(B)
9 Then you will understand righteousness, justice,
and integrity—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your mind,
and knowledge will delight your heart.
11 Discretion will watch over you,
and understanding will guard you,(C)
12 rescuing you from the way of evil—
from the one who says perverse things,
13 from those who abandon the right paths
to walk in ways of darkness,(D)
14 from those who enjoy doing evil(E)
and celebrate perversion,
15 whose paths are crooked,(F)
and whose ways are devious.(G)
16 It will rescue you from a forbidden woman,(H)
from a stranger[b] with her flattering talk,(I)
17 who abandons the companion of her youth(J)
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.(K)
19 None return who go to her;
none reach the paths of life.(L)
20 So follow the way of good people,(M)
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those of integrity will remain in it;(N)
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,(O)
and the treacherous uprooted from it.(P)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 2:7 Or resourcefulness
- Proverbs 2:16 Or foreign woman
Proverbs 6:20-24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
20 My child, keep your father’s commandment,
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(A)
21 Bind them upon your heart always;
tie them around your neck.(B)
22 When you walk, they[a] will lead you;
when you lie down, they[b] will watch over you;
and when you awake, they[c] will talk with you.(C)
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,(D)
24 to preserve you from the wife of another,[d]
from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.[e](E)
Proverbs 6:20-24
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Warning against Adultery
20 My son, keep your father’s command,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.(A)
21 Always bind them to your heart;
tie them around your neck.(B)
22 When you walk here and there, they will guide you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
when you wake up, they will talk to you.
23 For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,(C)
and corrective discipline is the way to life.(D)
24 They will protect you from an evil woman,[a]
from the flattering[b] tongue of a stranger.(E)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 6:24 LXX reads from a married woman
- Proverbs 6:24 Lit smooth
Proverbs 7:1-5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The False Attractions of Adultery
7 My child, keep my words
and store up my commandments with you;(A)
2 keep my commandments and live;
keep my teachings as the apple[a] of your eye;(B)
3 bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend,
5 that they may keep you from the loose woman,[b]
from the adulteress[c] with her smooth words.(D)
Proverbs 7:1-5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
7 My son, obey my words,
and treasure my commands.(A)
2 Keep my commands and live;(B)
protect my teachings
as the pupil of your eye.(C)
3 Tie them to your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(D)
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”(E)
and call understanding your relative.
5 She will keep you from a forbidden woman,
a stranger with her flattering talk.(F)
Proverbs 10:19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but the prudent are restrained in speech.(A)
Proverbs 10:19
Holman Christian Standard Bible
19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,
but the one who controls his lips is wise.(A)
Proverbs 14:3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Footnotes
- 14.3 Cn: Heb a rod of pride
Proverbs 14:3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
3 The proud speech of a fool brings a rod of discipline,[a]
but the lips of the wise protect them.(A)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:3 Some emend to In the mouth of a fool is a rod for his back
Proverbs 18:10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous run into it and are safe.(A)
Proverbs 18:10
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:10 Lit raised high
Proverbs 21:23
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
23 To watch over mouth and tongue
is to keep out of trouble.(A)
Proverbs 21:23
Holman Christian Standard Bible
23 The one who guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.(A)
Proverbs 22:5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
the cautious will keep far from them.(A)
Proverbs 22:5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
5 There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked;(A)
the one who guards himself stays far from them.
Proverbs 22:24-25
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
24 Make no friends with those given to anger,
and do not associate with hotheads,
25 lest you learn their ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
Proverbs 22:24-25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
24 Don’t make friends with an angry man,[a]
and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered man,(A)
25 or you will learn his ways(B)
and entangle yourself in a snare.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:24 Lit with a master of anger
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