Moral Benefits of Wisdom

2 My son,x if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you,

2 turning your ear to wisdom

and applying your heart to understandingy—

3 indeed, if you call out for insightz

and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,a

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God.b

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;c

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.d

7 He holds success in store for the upright,

he is a shielde to those whose walk is blameless,f

8 for he guards the course of the just

and protects the way of his faithful ones.g

9 Then you will understandh what is right and just

and fair—every good path.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart,i

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion will protect you,

and understanding will guard you.j

12 Wisdom will savek you from the ways of wicked men,

from men whose words are perverse,

13 who have left the straight paths

to walk in dark ways,l

14 who delight in doing wrong

and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,m

15 whose paths are crookedn

and who are devious in their ways.o