Wisdom Brings Safety
2 My son, if you receive my sayings and store up my teachings within you, 2 make your ear open to wisdom. Turn your heart to understanding. 3 If you cry out to know right from wrong, and lift your voice for understanding; 4 if you look for her as silver, and look for her as hidden riches; 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find what is known of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom. Much learning and understanding come from His mouth. 7 He 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 He watches over the right way, and He keeps safe the way of those who belong to Him. 9 Then you will understand what is right and good, and right from wrong, and you will know what you should do. 10 For wisdom will come into your heart. And much learning will be pleasing to your soul. 11 Good thinking will keep you safe. Understanding will watch over you. 12 You will be kept from the sinful man, and from the man who causes much trouble by what he says. 13 You will be kept from the man who leaves the right way to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 from the one who is happy doing wrong, and who finds joy in the way of sin. 15 His ways are not straight and are not good.
16 You will be saved from the strange woman, from the sinful woman with her smooth words. 17 She leaves the husband she had when she was young, and forgets the agreement with her God. 18 For her house goes down to death, and her steps lead to the dead. 19 None who go to her return again, and they do not find the paths of life.
20 So may you walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of those who are right and good. 21 For those who are right with God will live in the land. The men without blame will stay in it, 22 but the sinful will be destroyed from the land, and those who are not faithful will be taken away from it.