Proverbs 2:13

13 who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways,

Proverbs 2:13 in Other Translations

13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

13 who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,

13 These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths.

13 Of those who are lost themselves and can't tell a trail from a tumbleweed,

13 [from] those who abandon the right paths to walk in ways of darkness,

Proverbs 2:13 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 2:13

Who leave the paths of uprightness
Or "righteousness", or the "right [and plain] ways" ^F21; which the light of nature and the law of God, and especially the Gospel of Christ, direct to; and in which they have been trained up, having had a religious education; for it supposes them to have been externally in these ways, since they are said to leave them; for though persons do not easily and ordinarily leave the ways they have been brought up in, yet sometimes they do; and there are instances of it, and such generally are the worst of men; to walk in the ways of darkness:
sin, ignorance, and infidelity; in which they that walk know not where they are, nor whither they are a going, and which must be very uncomfortable as well as dangerous; in which only works of darkness are done, and which lead to blackness of darkness, the darkness of hell; a miserable choice, a sad change this! So Schultens renders it, "ways of horrid darkness".

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (rvy twxra) "semitas rectas", Mercerus; "itinera recta", Piscator; "itinera planissima", Schultens.

Proverbs 2:13 In-Context

11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,

13 who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways,

14 who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,

15 whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 4:19; John 3:19