The Value of Wisdom

2 My child, if you accept my words

and treasure up my commandments within you,

2 making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

3 if you indeed cry out for insight,

and raise your voice for understanding;

4 if you seek it like silver,

and search for it as for hidden treasures—

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,

8 guarding the paths of justice

and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice

and equity, every good path;

10 for wisdom will come into your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

11 prudence will watch over you;

and understanding will guard you.

12 It will save you from the way of evil,

from those who speak perversely,

13 who forsake the paths of uprightness

to walk in the ways of darkness,

14 who rejoice in doing evil

and delight in the perverseness of evil;

15 those whose paths are crooked,

and who are devious in their ways.

16 You will be saved from the loosea woman,

from the adulteress with her smooth words,

17 who forsakes the partner of her youth

and forgets her sacred covenant;

18 for her wayb leads down to death,

and her paths to the shades;

19 those who go to her never come back,

nor do they regain the paths of life.

20 Therefore walk in the way of the good,

and keep to the paths of the just.

21 For the upright will abide in the land,

and the innocent will remain in it;

22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,

and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Admonition to Trust and Honor God

3 My child, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments;

2 for length of days and years of life

and abundant welfare they will give you.

3 Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 So you will find favor and good repute

in the sight of God and of people.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own insight.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

8 It will be a healing for your flesh

and a refreshment for your body.

9 Honor the Lord with your substance

and with the first fruits of all your produce;

10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11 My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

12 for the Lord reproves the one he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.

The True Wealth

13 Happy are those who find wisdom,

and those who get understanding,

14 for her income is better than silver,

and her revenue better than gold.

15 She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

16 Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

those who hold her fast are called happy.