2:1 | My son, if you take my words to heart and treasure my commands within you, |
2:2 | if you pay close attention to wisdom, and let your mind reach for understanding, |
2:3 | if indeed you call out for insight, if you ask aloud for understanding, |
2:4 | if you search for wisdom as if it were money and hunt for it as if it were hidden treasure, |
2:5 | then you will understand the fear of the LORD and you will find the knowledge of God. |
2:6 | The LORD gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. |
2:7 | He has reserved priceless wisdom for decent people. He is a shield for those who walk in integrity |
2:8 | in order to guard those on paths of justice and to watch over the way of his godly ones. |
2:9 | Then you will understand what is right and just and fair every good course in life. |
2:10 | Wisdom will come into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. |
2:11 | Foresight will protect you. Understanding will guard you. |
2:12 | Wisdom will save you from the way of evil, from the person who speaks devious things, |
2:13 | from those who abandon the paths of righteousness to walk the ways of darkness, |
2:14 | from those who enjoy doing evil, from those who find joy in the deviousness of evil. |
2:15 | Their paths are crooked. Their ways are devious. |
2:16 | Wisdom will also save you from an adulterous woman, from a loose woman with her smooth talk, |
2:17 | who leaves her husband, the closest friend of her youth, and forgets her marriage vows to her God. |
2:18 | Her house sinks down to death. Her ways lead to the souls of the dead. |
2:19 | None who have sex with her come back. Nor do they ever reach the paths of life. |
2:20 | So walk in the way of good people and stay on the paths of righteous people. |
2:21 | Decent people will live in the land. People of integrity will remain in it. |
2:22 | But wicked people will be cut off from the land and treacherous people will be torn from it. |