My son, If you accept my words and store up my

commands within you, turning yourt ear to wisdom and

applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for

insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for

it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then

you will understand the fear of the LORD and find

the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come

knowledge and understanding.

He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to

those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of

the just and protects the way of his faihful ones.

Then you will understand what is right and ust and fair

- every good path.

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will

enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to

your soul.

Discretion will protect you and understanding

will guard you.

Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from

 men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight

paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and

rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are

crooked and who are devious in their ways.

It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward

wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of

her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.

For her house leads down to death and her paths to the

spirits of the dead.

None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to

the paths of the righteous.

For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will

remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land,

and the unfaithful will be torn from it.