1My son, if you will receive my words

And treasure my commandments within you,

2So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom,

And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];

3Yes, if you cry out for insight,

And lift up your voice for understanding;

4If you seek skillful and godly wisdom as you would silver

And search for her as you would hidden treasures;

5Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]

And discover the knowledge of God.

6For the LORD gives [skillful and godly] wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7He stores away sound wisdom for the righteous [those who are in right standing with Him];

He is a shield to those who walk in integrity [those of honorable character and moral courage],

8He guards the paths of justice;

And He preserves the way of His saints (believers).

9Then you will understand righteousness and justice [in every circumstance]

And integrity and every good path.

10For [skillful and godly] wisdom will enter your heart

And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11Discretion will watch over you,

Understanding and discernment will guard you,

12To keep you from the way of evil and the evil man,

From the man who speaks perverse things;

13From those who leave the paths of uprightness

To walk in the ways of darkness;

14Who find joy in doing evil

And delight in the perversity of evil,

15Whose paths are crooked,

And who are devious in their ways;

16To keep you from the immoral woman;

From the seductress with her flattering words,

17Who leaves the companion (husband) of her youth,

And forgets the covenant of her God.

18For her house leads down to death

And her paths lead to the dead;

19None who go to her return again,

Nor do they regain the paths of life--

20So you will walk in the way of good men [that is, those of personal integrity, moral courage and honorable character],

And keep to the paths of the righteous.

21For the upright [those who are in right standing with God] will live in the land

And those [of integrity] who are blameless [in God’s sight] will remain in it;

22But the wicked will be cut off from the land

And the treacherous shall be [forcibly] uprooted and removed from it.