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