Proverbs 2 - Easy To Read Version

¹ My son, accept these things I say. Remember my commands.

² Listen to wisdom, and try your best to understand.

³ Cry out for wisdom, and shout for understanding.

⁴ Look for wisdom like silver. Look for it like a hidden treasure.

⁵ If you do these things, then you will learn to respect the Lord. You will truly learn about God.

⁶ The Lord gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.

⁷ He saves and protects good, honest people.

⁸ He protects people who are fair to other people. He guards his holy people.

⁹ So the Lord will give you his wisdom. Then you will understand the things that are good and fair and right.

¹⁰ Wisdom will come into your heart, and your soul will be happy with knowledge.

¹¹ Wisdom will protect you, and under standing will guard you.

¹² Wisdom and understanding will stop you from living the wrong way like evil people. Those people are evil even in the things they say.

¹³ They have given up goodness and now live in darkness (sin).

¹⁴ They are happy in doing wrong and enjoy the bad ways of evil.

¹⁵ Those people can’t be trusted—they lie and cheat. But your wisdom and understanding will keep you away from all these things.

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you from the woman stranger. Wisdom will save you from that foreign woman who says such sweet words when she tempts you to sin with her.

¹⁷ She married when she was young—but she left her husband. She forgot the marriage vows she made before God.

¹⁸ And now, going with her into her house leads to death! If you follow her, she will lead you to the grave!

¹⁹ \{She herself is like the grave\}—men who go into her lose their life and never return.

²⁰ Wisdom will help you follow the example of good people. Wisdom will help you live the way good people live.

²¹ Good honest people will be able to live on their land. Simple honest people will get to keep their land.

²² But evil people will lose their land. People who lie and cheat will be taken away from the land.