Proverbs 2

DOUAI-RHEIMS	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and wilt hide my commandments with thee,	1 My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you,
2 That thy ear may hearken to wisdom: Incline thy heart to know prudence:	2 so that your ears may listen to wisdom, then bend your heart in order to know prudence.
3 For if thou shalt call for wisdom, and incline thy heart to prudence:	3 For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence,
4 If thou shalt seek her as money, and shalt dig for her as for a treasure:	4 if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure,
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and shalt find the knowledge of God.	5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God.
6 Because the Lord giveth wisdom: and out of his mouth cometh prudence and knowledge.	6 For the Lord bestows wisdom, and out of his mouth, prudence and knowledge.
7 He will keep the salvation of the righteous, and protect them that walk in simplicity.	7 He will preserve the salvation of the righteous, and he will protect those who walk in simplicity:
8 Keeping the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of saints.	8 serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity.
9 Then shalt thou understand justice, and judgment, and equity, and every good path.	9 Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path.
10 If wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge please thy soul:	10 If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul,
11 Counsel shall keep thee, and prudence shall preserve thee,	11 then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you,
12 That thou mayst be delivered from the evil way, and from the man that speaketh perverse things:	12 so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities,
13 Who leave the right way, and walk by dark ways:	13 from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways,
14 Who are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in most wicked things:	14 who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things.
15 Whose ways are perverse, and their steps infamous.	15 Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous.
16 That thou mayst be delivered from the strange women, and from the stranger, who softeneth her words:	16 So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech,
17 And forsaketh the guide of her youth,	17 and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth,
18 And hath forgotten the covenant of her God: for her house inclineth unto death, and her paths to hell.	18 and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell.
19 None that go in unto her shall return again, neither shall they take hold of the paths of life,	19 All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life.
20 That thou mayst walk in a good way: and mayst keep the paths of the just.	20 So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just.
21 For they that are upright shall dwell in the earth, and the simple shall continue in it.	21 For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it.
22 But the wicked shall be destroyed from the earth: and they that do unjustly shall be taken away from it.	22 Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it.