1 M y son, if you receive my sayings and store up my teachings within you,

2 m ake your ear open to wisdom. Turn your heart to understanding.

3 I f you cry out to know right from wrong, and lift your voice for understanding;

4 i f you look for her as silver, and look for her as hidden riches;

5 t hen you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find what is known of God.

6 F or the Lord gives wisdom. Much learning and understanding come from His mouth.

7 H e stores up perfect wisdom for those who are right with Him. He is a safe-covering to those who are right in their walk.

8 H e watches over the right way, and He keeps safe the way of those who belong to Him.

9 T hen you will understand what is right and good, and right from wrong, and you will know what you should do.

10 F or wisdom will come into your heart. And much learning will be pleasing to your soul.

11 G ood thinking will keep you safe. Understanding will watch over you.

12 Y ou will be kept from the sinful man, and from the man who causes much trouble by what he says.

13 Y ou will be kept from the man who leaves the right way to walk in the ways of darkness,

14 f rom the one who is happy doing wrong, and who finds joy in the way of sin.

15 H is ways are not straight and are not good.

16 Y ou will be saved from the strange woman, from the sinful woman with her smooth words.

17 S he leaves the husband she had when she was young, and forgets the agreement with her God.

18 F or her house goes down to death, and her steps lead to the dead.

19 N one who go to her return again, and they do not find the paths of life.

20 S o may you walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of those who are right and good.

21 F or those who are right with God will live in the land. The men without blame will stay in it,

22 b ut the sinful will be destroyed from the land, and those who are not faithful will be taken away from it.