THE
PROVERBS

Proverbs 2 ©

Sundry promises of great use, for those who earnestly seek after, and obtain true wisdom; especially that they shall be directed and kept in the way of life, and be preserved from evil company, which walk in the way of destruction.

1

MY1 son, if thou wilt receive my words, and 2hide my commandments with thee;

2

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to 3understanding;

3

4Yea, if thou 5criest after knowledge, and 6liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4

Ifa thou seekest her as 7silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and 8find the knowledge of God.

6

Forb the LORD giveth wisdom: 9out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

7

He layeth up 10sound wisdom for the righteous: 11he is a buckler to them that walk 12uprightly.

8

He keepeth 13the paths of judgment, and 14preserveth the way of his 15saints.

9

Then shalt thou understand 16righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every 17good path.

10

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

11

Discretion shall 18preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

12

To deliver thee from the way of the 19evil man, from the man that speaketh 20froward things;

13

Who 21leave 22the paths of uprightness, 23to walk in the ways of darkness;

14

Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of 24the wicked;

15

25Whose ways are 26crooked, and they 27froward in their paths:

16

28To deliver thee from the 29strange woman, even fromc the stranger 30which flattereth with her words;

17

Which forsaketh the 31guide of her youth, and forgetteth 32the covenant of her God.

18

33For her house inclineth 34unto death, and her paths unto the 35dead.

19

None that go 36unto her 37return again, neither take they hold of the paths 38of life.

20

39That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the 40paths of the 41righteous.

21

Ford the upright 42shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall 43remain in it.

22

Bute the wicked 44shall be cut off from the earth, and the 45transgressors shall be rooted out of it.