2 My
son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So
that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea,
if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If
thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then
shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of
God. 6 For
the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He
layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that
walk uprightly. 8 He
keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then
shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every
good path.
10
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy
soul; 11 Discretion
shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: 12 To
deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward
things; 13 Who
leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who
rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; 15 Whose
ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: 16 To
deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth
with her words; 17 Which
forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. 18 For
her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. 19 None
that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. 20 That
thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For
the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. 22 But
the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall
be rooted out of it.