Proverbs

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

1My son, take in what I say. Keep my commands safe inside you, like something you treasure.

2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

2Lean in and listen closely to wisdom. Turn your heart toward understanding.

3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

3Call out for good sense. Raise your voice and ask for understanding.

4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

4Look for it the way you would look for silver. Hunt for it like treasure that is hidden.

5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

5Then you will understand what it means to respect the LORD, and you will come to know God.

6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

6The LORD is the one who gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his own mouth.

7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

7He stores up solid wisdom for people who do right. He is a shield for those who live honestly.

NoteA "buckler" is a small shield held on the arm. The picture is of God protecting someone the way a shield protects a fighter.

8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

8He guards the paths of justice. He watches over the way his faithful people go.

9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

9Then you will understand what is right, what is fair, and what is honest — every good path.

10When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

10Wisdom will come into your heart, and knowing things will make you glad.

11Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

11Good judgment will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.

12To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

12It will save you from the path of the evil man, the man whose words twist what is right.

Note"Froward" is an old English word. It means twisted or turned the wrong way, and it is used again in verses 14 and 15.

13Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

13These men leave the straight roads and walk in dark ways instead.

14Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

14They are happy when they do wrong. They enjoy how twisted evil people are.

15Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

15Their paths bend all the wrong ways, and they wander off from what is right.

16To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

16It will also save you from the woman who is not yours, the stranger whose smooth words pull you in.

17Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

17She has walked away from the husband she married when she was young. She has forgotten the promise she made before her God.

18For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

18Her house slopes downward toward death. Her paths lead to those who are already dead.

19None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

19No one who goes to her comes back. They never find their way to the paths of life again.

20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

20So walk in the way of good people, and stay on the paths of those who do right.

21For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

21Honest people will live in the land, and those who are blameless will stay there.

22But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

22But wicked people will be cut off from the land. Those who break faith will be pulled up by the roots.