Chapter 2

1  My son, if thou receivest my words, and layest up my commandments with thee, 2  so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and thou apply thy heart to understanding; 3  yea, if thou criest after discernment and liftest up thy voice to understanding; 4  if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures: 5  then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God. 6  For Jehovah giveth wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7  He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to them that walk in integrity; 8  guarding the paths of just judgment and keeping the way of his godly ones. 9  Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity: every good path.

10  When wisdom entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, 11  discretion shall keep thee, understanding shall preserve thee: 12  To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the man that speaketh froward things; 13  from those who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14  who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of evil; 15  whose paths are crooked, and who are perverted in their course: 16  To deliver thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words; 17  who forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God; 18  —for her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead; 19  none that go unto her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life: 20  —that thou mayest walk in the way of the good, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21  For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it; 22  but the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful shall be plucked up out of it.