Provérbios 2

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD , and find the knowledge of God.
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O 'temor do Senhor' (repetido em pv1:7 e pv9:10) é o princípio da sabedoria na teologia de Provérbios, contrastando com a arrogância humana.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man , from the man that speaketh froward things;
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
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A 'mulher estranha' representa tentação e idolatria (contexto histórico: relações com nações pagãs). A expressão aparece 7x em Provérbios, sempre como alerta contra infidelidade espiritual e moral (pv5:3; pv7:5).
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
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'Aliança do seu Deus' pode referir-se tanto ao pacto matrimonial (ml2:14) quanto à aliança de Israel com Yahweh (dt31:16). Há debate sobre se é uma mulher israelita apóstata ou estrangeira pagã.
For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
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A descrição da morte (Sheol) como destino dos ímpios reflete a crença hebraica antiga sobre o pós-morte como lugar de sombras, sem julgamento final explícito (comparar com pv5:5; pv7:27).
None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men , and keep the paths of the righteous.
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
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A teologia da retribuição terrestre (justos herdam a terra) ecoa sl37:29 e antecipa mt5:5. Arqueologia mostra que o exílio babilônico (586 a.C.) reforçou essa ideia como explicação para catástrofes nacionais (dt28:63).
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.