Proverbs 2

Proverbs · Chapter 2

Proverbs 2:20

1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.10When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;11Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:12To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;13Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;14Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;15Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:16To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;17Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.18For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.19None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.21For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.22But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.So you will follow in the ways of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
so thatלְמַ֗עַןle-MA-'anH4616
because

מַ֫עַן (ma.an) 1) purpose, intent prep 1a) for the sake of 1b) in view of, on account of 1c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to conj 1d) to the end that

you may walkתֵּ֭לֵךְTE-lekhH1980I
to go

הוּךְ (hukh) (P'al) to go, come, walk, be brought Aramaic of ha.lakh (הָלַךְ ": walk" H1980)

in [the] way ofבְּדֶ֣רֶךְbe-DE-rekhH1870G
way: conduct

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) : conduct/lifestyle 1) way, road, distance, journey, manner 1a) road, way, path 1b) journey 1c) direction 1d) manner, habit, way 1e) of course of life (fig.) 1f) of moral character (fig.)

good [people]טוֹבִ֑יםto-VIMH2896A
fine

טָב (tav) good Aramaic of tov (טוֹב "pleasant" H2896A)

and [the] paths ofוְאָרְח֖וֹתve-'a-re-CHOTH0734
way

אֹ֫רַח (o.rach) 1) way, path 1a) path, road 1b) the path, way, passing of life (fig.) 1c) way of living (fig.) 1d) traveller, wayfarer (meton) Aramaic equivalent: o.rach (אֹ֫רַח "way" H0735)

righteous [people]צַדִּיקִ֣יםtza-di-KIMH6662
righteous

צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) 1) just, lawful, righteous 1a) just, righteous (in government) 1b) just, right (in one's cause) 1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character) 1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God) 1e) right, correct, lawful

you will keepתִּשְׁמֹֽר׃tish-MORH8104G
to keep: obey

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) : obey/observe 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.