[1] My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, [2] listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; [3] furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, [4] if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, [5] then you will understand the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God. [6] For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. [7] He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity [8] so that he may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of his faithful followers. [9] Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity-every good path. [10] For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight you. [11] Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you. [12] It will rescue you from the way of evil- from anyone who says perverse things, [13] from those who abandon the right paths to walk in ways of darkness, [14] from those who enjoy doing evil and celebrate perversion, [15] whose paths are crooked, and whose ways are devious. [16] It will rescue you from a forbidden woman, from a wayward woman with her flattering talk, [17] who abandons the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; [18] for her house sinks down to death and her ways to the land of the departed spirits. [19] None return who go to her; none reach the paths of life. [20] So follow the way of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous. [21] For the upright will inhabit the land, and those of integrity will remain in it; [22] but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous ripped out of it.
