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Proverbs 2-4
New International Version
Proverbs 2-4
New International Version
Moral Benefits of Wisdom
2 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 as for hidden treasure,(D)
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.(E)
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;(F)
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.(G)
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield(H) to those whose walk is blameless,(I)
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.(J)
9 Then you will understand(K) what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,(L)
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.(M)
12 Wisdom will save(N) you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,(O)
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,(P)
15 whose paths are crooked(Q)
and who are devious in their ways.(R)
16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(S)
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.[a](T)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.(U)
19 None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.(V)
20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,(W)
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked(X) will be cut off from the land,(Y)
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.(Z)
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
3 My son,(AA) do not forget my teaching,(AB)
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years(AC)
and bring you peace and prosperity.(AD)
3 Let love and faithfulness(AE) never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.(AF)
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.(AG)
5 Trust in the Lord(AH) with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths(AI) straight.[b](AJ)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;(AK)
fear the Lord(AL) and shun evil.(AM)
8 This will bring health to your body(AN)
and nourishment to your bones.(AO)
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits(AP) of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled(AQ) to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.(AR)
11 My son,(AS) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,(AT)
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,(AU)
as a father the son he delights in.[c](AV)
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.(AW)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(AX)
nothing you desire can compare with her.(AY)
16 Long life is in her right hand;(AZ)
in her left hand are riches and honor.(BA)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.(BB)
18 She is a tree of life(BC) to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.(BD)
19 By wisdom(BE) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,(BF)
by understanding he set the heavens(BG) in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son,(BH) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,(BI)
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,(BJ)
an ornament to grace your neck.(BK)
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,(BL)
and your foot will not stumble.(BM)
24 When you lie down,(BN) you will not be afraid;(BO)
when you lie down, your sleep(BP) will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side(BQ)
and will keep your foot(BR) from being snared.(BS)
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.(BT)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.(BU)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy(BV) the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse(BW)
but takes the upright into his confidence.(BX)
33 The Lord’s curse(BY) is on the house of the wicked,(BZ)
but he blesses the home of the righteous.(CA)
34 He mocks(CB) proud mockers(CC)
but shows favor to the humble(CD) and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
4 Listen, my sons,(CE) to a father’s instruction;(CF)
pay attention and gain understanding.(CG)
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold(CH) of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.(CI)
5 Get wisdom,(CJ) get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(CK)
love her, and she will watch over you.(CL)
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[d] wisdom.
Though it cost all(CM) you have,[e] get understanding.(CN)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.(CO)
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.(CP)”
10 Listen, my son,(CQ) accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.(CR)
11 I instruct(CS) you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.(CT)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.(CU)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.(CV)
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.(CW)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(CX)
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.(CY)
18 The path of the righteous(CZ) is like the morning sun,(DA)
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(DB)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(DC)
they do not know what makes them stumble.(DD)
20 My son,(DE) pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.(DF)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(DG)
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.(DH)
23 Above all else, guard(DI) your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.(DJ)
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes(DK) look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[f] paths for your feet(DL)
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;(DM)
keep your foot from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God
- Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
- Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child
- Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
- Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
Proverbs 2-4
King James Version
Proverbs 2-4
King James Version
2 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9 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, understanding shall keep thee:
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man 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 they froward in their paths:
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
17 Which 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 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 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.
3 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise 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 unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
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 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 them 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 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.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
New International Version (NIV) 
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