[1] My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, [2] so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; [3] yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; [4] if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; [5] then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God. [6] For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. [7] He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, [8] that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. [9] Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. [10] For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. [11] Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, [12] to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things, [13] who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, [14] who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, [15] who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, [16] to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words, [17] who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God; [18] for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. [19] None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life. [20] Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. [21] For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. [22] But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.
