Proverbs 2 - Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)

Second Address to a Son: Wisdom Provides Protection

2 My son, if you accept my words,
if you store up my commands within you,
2 by paying attention[a] to wisdom with your ear,
by reaching out for understanding with your heart,
3 if indeed you call out for intelligence,
if you raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you search for it like silver,
if you hunt for it like hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
then you will find the knowledge of God,
6 because the Lord gives wisdom.
Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.
7 He stores up sound judgment for upright people.
He is a shield for those who walk in integrity.
8 He protects those who walk on paths of justice.
He guards the way of his favored ones.[b]
9 Then you will understand righteousness, justice,
and fairness—every good path,
10 because wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant for your soul.
11 Foresight will stand guard over you.
Understanding will protect you.
12 It will save you from the evil way,
from the man who speaks perverse things,
13 from those who abandon upright paths
in order to walk in the ways of darkness.
14 It will save you from those who enjoy doing evil,
from those who celebrate the twisted ways of evil,
15 from those whose paths are crooked,
and from those whose ways are devious.

Wisdom Protects You From the Adulterous Woman

16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,[c]
from the unfaithful woman[d] with her seductive words,
17 who abandons the husband of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 So she sinks down to death, which becomes her house.[e]
Her way of life leads down to the spirits of the dead.
19 All who enter her house never return.
They never reach the paths of life.

Admonition to Live Righteously

20 This is how to walk in the way of good people,
how to stay on the paths of the righteous.
21 Yes, the upright will live in the land,
and people with integrity will remain in it,
22 but wicked people will be cut off from the land,
and treacherous people will be torn out of it.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:2 Or so you can pay attention
  2. Proverbs 2:8 Or those who are merciful or those who have received his mercy
  3. Proverbs 2:16 Literally from the strange woman, that is, one who is married to another man
  4. Proverbs 2:16 Literally from the foreign woman, that is, one who is married to another man
  5. Proverbs 2:18 The line is difficult and the translation is uncertain.

You Might Also Like:

Proverbs 2 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

2 My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee, 2 To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding, 3 For, if for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice, 4 If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treas...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

2 My son, if thou receivest my words, and hidest my behests with thee (and hidest my commands with thee); 2 (so) that thine ear hear wisdom, bow (down) thine heart to know prudence. 3 For if thou inwardly callest (to) wisdom, and bowest thine heart to(ward) prudence; 4 if thou seekest it as money, a...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - World English Bible (WEB)

2 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you,2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden tre...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - The Voice (VOICE)

2 My son, if you accept what I am telling you and store my counsel and directives deep within you,2 If you listen for Lady Wisdom, attune your ears to her, and engage your mind to understand what she is telling you,3 If you cry out to her for insight and beg for understanding,4 If you sift through t...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Seek Treasures of Wisdom2 My son, if you accept my words and treasure my mitzvot within you,2 making your ear attentive to wisdom, inclining your heart to discernment,3 yes, if you call out for insight, lifting up your voice for discernment,4 if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidde...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Value of Wisdom2 My son, if you receive my wordsand treasure up my commandments with you,2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;3 yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for ...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Value of Wisdom2 My son, if you receive my wordsand treasure up my commandments with you,2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;3 yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for ...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Value of Wisdom2 My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you,2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;3 if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding;4 if you seek it like silver, and search for it...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Value of Wisdom2 My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you,(A)2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding,3 if you indeed cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,4 if you seek it like silver and search for i...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Benefits of Wisdom2 My child,[a] listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.5 Then you will understand what...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New Life Version (NLV)

Wisdom Brings Safety2 My son, if you receive my sayings and store up my teachings within you, 2 make your ear open to wisdom. Turn your heart to understanding. 3 If you cry out to know right from wrong, and lift your voice for understanding; 4 if you look for her as silver, and look for her as hi...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Value of Wisdom2 My son, if you receive my words,And (A)treasure my commands within you,2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,And apply your heart to understanding;3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,And lift up your voice for understanding,4 (B)If you seek her as silver,And search for her ...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Moral benefits of wisdom2 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding –3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hi...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New International Version (NIV)

Moral Benefits of Wisdom2 My son,(A) if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding(B)—3 indeed, if you call out for insight(C) and cry aloud for understanding,4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it a...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Good Things Come From Wisdom2 My son, accept my words. Store up my commands inside you.2 Let your ears listen to wisdom. Apply your heart to understanding.3 Call out for the ability to be wise. Cry out for understanding.4 Look for it as you would look for silver. Search for it as you would search fo...
Read More

Proverbs 2 - New Century Version (NCV)

Rewards of Wisdom2 My child, listen to what I say and remember what I command you.2 Listen carefully to wisdom; set your mind on understanding.3 Cry out for wisdom, and beg for understanding.4 Search for it like silver, and hunt for it like hidden treasure.5 Then you will understand respect for the ...
Read More