Proverbs 2  Easy-to-Read Version

Listen to Wisdom

2 My son, pay attention to what I say. Remember my commands. ² Listen to wisdom, and do your best to understand. ³ Ask for good judgment. Cry out for understanding. ⁴ Look for wisdom like silver. Search for it like hidden treasure. ⁵ If you do this, you will understand what it means to respect the Lord, and you will come to know God.

⁶ The Lord is the source of wisdom; knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. ⁷ He gives good advice to honest people and shields those who do what is right. ⁸ He makes sure that people are treated fairly. He watches over his loyal followers.

⁹ If you listen to him, you will understand what is just and fair and how to do what is right. ¹⁰ You will gain wisdom, and knowledge will bring you joy.

¹¹ Planning ahead will protect you, and understanding will guard you. ¹² These will keep you from following the wrong path and will protect you from those who have evil plans. ¹³ Such people have left the straight path and now walk in darkness. ¹⁴ They enjoy doing evil and are happy with the confusion it brings. ¹⁵ Their ways are crooked; they lie and cheat.

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you from that other woman, another man’s wife, who tempts you with sweet words. ¹⁷ She married when she was young, but then she left her husband. She forgot the marriage vows she made before God. ¹⁸ Going into her house leads to death. She will lead you to the grave. ¹⁹ All who enter lose their life and never return.

²⁰ Wisdom will help you follow the example of good people and stay on the right path. ²¹ Honest people will live in the land, and those who do right will remain there. ²² But the wicked will be forced to leave. Those who lie and cheat will be thrown out of the land.