[1] My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments within you, [2] so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; [3] yes, if you cry out for knowledge, 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 the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. [6] For the LORD gives wisdom; out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding. [7] He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. [8] He keeps the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. [9] Then you will understand righteousness and judgment and equity, and every good path. [10] When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, [11] discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, [12] to deliver you from the way of the evil man, from the man who speaks perverse things, [13] from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; [14] who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; [15] whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths; [16] to deliver you from the immoral woman, even from the seductress who flatters with her words, [17] who forsakes the guide of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. [18] For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the departed spirits; [19] none who go to her return again, nor do they take hold of the paths of life. [20] So you may walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous. [21] For the upright will dwell in the land, and the innocent will remain in it; [22] but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors will be rooted out of it.
