1 My sonne, if thou wilt receiue my wordes, and hide my commandements within thee, 2 And cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisdome, and encline thine heart to vnderstanding, 3 (For if thou callest after knowledge, and cryest for vnderstanding: 4 If thou seekest her as siluer, and searchest for her as for treasures, 5 Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giueth wisdome, out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding. 7 He preserueth the state of the righteous: he is a shielde to them that walke vprightly, 8 That they may keepe the wayes of iudgement: and he preserueth the way of his Saintes) 9 Then shalt thou vnderstand righteousnes, and iudgement, and equitie, and euery good path. 10 When wisdome entreth into thine heart, and knowledge deliteth thy soule, 11 Then shall counsell preserue thee, and vnderstanding shall keepe thee, 12 And deliuer thee from the euill way, and from the man that speaketh froward things, 13 And from them that leaue the wayes of righteousnes to walke in the wayes of darkenes: 14 Which reioyce in doing euill, and delite in the frowardnesse of the wicked, 15 Whose wayes are crooked and they are lewde in their paths. 16 And it shall deliuer thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger, which flattereth with her wordes. 17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the couenant of her God. 18 Surely her house tendeth to death, and her paths vnto the dead. 19 All they that goe vnto her, returne not againe, neither take they holde of the wayes of life. 20 Therefore walke thou in the way of good men, and keepe the wayes of the righteous. 21 For the iust shall dwell in the land, and the vpright men shall remaine in it. 22 But the wicked shalbe cut off from ye earth, and the transgressours shalbe rooted out of it.
The Rewards of Wisdom
1 My child, learn what I teach you and never forget what I tell you to do. 2 Listen to what is wise and try to understand it. 3 Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. 4 Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. 5 If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God. 6 It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding. 7 He provides help and protection for those who are righteous and honest. 8 He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him.
9 If you listen to me, you will know what is right, just, and fair. You will know what you should do. 10 You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure. 11 Your insight and understanding will protect you 12 and prevent you from doing the wrong thing. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say— 13 those who have abandoned a righteous life to live in the darkness of sin, 14 those who find pleasure in doing wrong and who enjoy senseless evil, 15 unreliable people who cannot be trusted.
16 You will be able to resist any immoral woman who tries to seduce you with her smooth talk, 17 who is faithless to her own husband and forgets her sacred vows. 18 If you go to her house, you are traveling the road to death. To go there is to approach the world of the dead. 19 No one who visits her ever comes back. He never returns to the road to life. 20 So you must follow the example of good people and live a righteous life. 21 Righteous people—people of integrity—will live in this land of ours. 22 But God will snatch the wicked from the land and pull sinners out of it like plants from the ground.