[1] My son, accept my words. Store up my commands inside you. [2] Let your ears listen to wisdom. Apply your heart to understanding. [3] Call out for the ability to be wise. Cry out for understanding. [4] Look for it as you would look for silver. Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure. [5] Then you will understand how to have respect for the LORD. You will find out how to know God. [6] The LORD gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. [7] He stores up success for honest people. He is like a shield to those who live without blame. [8] He guards the path of those who are honest. He watches over the way of his faithful ones. [9] You will understand what is right and honest and fair. You will understand the right way to live. [10] Your heart will become wise. Your mind will delight in knowledge. [11] Good sense will keep you safe. Understanding will guard you. [12] Wisdom will save you from the ways of evil men. It will save you from men who twist their words. [13] Men like that have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways. [14] They take delight in doing what is wrong. They take joy in twisting everything around. [15] Their paths are crooked. Their ways are not straight. [16] Wisdom will save you from a woman who commits adultery. It will save you from a sinful woman and her tempting words. [17] She has left the man she married when she was young. She has broken the promise she made in front of God. [18] Surely her house leads down to death. Her paths lead to the spirits of the dead. [19] No one who goes to her comes back or reaches the paths of life. [20] You will walk in the ways of good people. You will follow the paths of those who do right. [21] Honest people will live in the land. Those who are without blame will remain in it. [22] But sinners will be cut off from the land. Those who aren’t faithful will be torn away from it.
