Benefits of Seeking Wisdom150

2:1 My child,1 if2 you receive my words,

and store up3 my commands within you,

2:2 by making4 your ear5 attentive to wisdom,

and6 by turning7 your heart8 to understanding,

2:3 indeed, if9 you call out for10 discernment11—

raise your voice12 for understanding—

2:4 if13 you seek14 it like silver,15

and search for it16 like hidden treasure,

2:5 then you will understand17 how to fear the Lord,18

and you will discover19 knowledge20 about God.21

2:6 For22 the Lord gives23 wisdom,

and from his mouth24 comes25 knowledge and understanding.

2:7 He stores up26 effective counsel27 for the upright,28

and is like29 a shield30 for those who live31 with integrity,32

2:8 to guard33 the paths of the righteous34

and to protect35 the way of his pious ones.36

2:9 Then you will understand37 righteousness and justice

and equity—every38 good39 way.40

2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart,41

and moral knowledge42 will be attractive43 to you.44

2:11 Discretion45 will protect you,46

understanding will guard you,

2:12 to deliver47 you from the way of the wicked,48

from those49 speaking perversity,50

2:13 who leave51 the upright52 paths

to walk on the dark53 ways,

2:14 who delight54 in doing55 evil,56

they rejoice in perverse evil;57

2:15 whose paths58 are morally crooked,59

and who are devious60 in their ways;

2:16 to deliver you61 from the adulteress,62

from the sexually loose woman63 who speaks flattering64 words;65

2:17 who leaves66 the husband67 from her younger days,68

and forgets her marriage covenant69 made before God.70

2:18 For her house71 sinks72 down to death,

and her paths lead73 to the place of the departed spirits.74

2:19 None who go in to her will return,75

nor will they reach the paths of life.76

2:20 So77 you will walk in the way of good people,78

and will keep on the paths of the righteous.79

2:21 For the upright will reside in the land,

and those with integrity80 will remain in it,

2:22 but the wicked81 will be removed82 from the land,

and the treacherous83 will be torn away84 from it.