[1] My son, if you will take my words to your heart, storing up my laws in
your mind; [2] So that your ear gives attention to wisdom, and your heart
is turned to knowledge; [3] Truly, if you are crying out for good sense,
and your request is for knowledge; [4] If you are looking for her as for
silver, and searching for her as for stored-up wealth; [5] Then the fear of
the Lord will be clear to you, and knowledge of God will be yours. [6] For
the Lord gives wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and reason: [7] He
has salvation stored up for the upright, he is a breastplate to those in
whom there is no evil; [8] He keeps watch on the ways which are right, and
takes care of those who have the fear of him. [9] Then you will have
knowledge of righteousness and right acting, and upright behaviour, even of
every good way. [10] For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge
will be pleasing to your soul; [11] Wise purposes will be watching over
you, and knowledge will keep you; [12] Giving you salvation from the evil
man, from those whose words are false; [13] Who give up the way of
righteousness, to go by dark roads; [14] Who take pleasure in wrongdoing,
and have joy in the evil designs of the sinner; [15] Whose ways are not
straight, and whose footsteps are turned to evil: [16] To take you out of
the power of the strange woman, who says smooth words with her tongue; [17]
Who is false to the husband of her early years, and does not keep the
agreement of her God in mind: [18] For her house is on the way down to
death; her footsteps go down to the shades: [19] Those who go to her do not
come back again; their feet do not keep in the ways of life: [20] So that
you may go in the way of good men, and keep in the footsteps of the
upright. [21] For the upright will be living in the land, and the good will
have it for their heritage. [22] But sinners will be cut off from the land,
and those whose acts are false will be uprooted.