2 My child, 1 if 2 you receive my words,
and store up 3 my commands within you,
2 by making 4 your ear 5 attentive to wisdom,
and 6 by turning 7 your heart 8 to understanding,
3 indeed, if 9 you call out for 10 discernment 11 –
raise your voice 12 for understanding –
4 if 13 you seek 14 it like silver, 15
and search for it 16 like hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand 17 how to fear the Lord, 18
and you will discover 19 knowledge 20 about God. 21
6 For 22 the Lord gives 23 wisdom,
and from his mouth 24 comes 25 knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up 26 effective counsel 27 for the upright, 28
and is like 29 a shield 30 for those who live 31 with integrity, 32
8 to guard 33 the paths of the righteous 34
and to protect 35 the way of his pious ones. 36
9 Then you will understand 37 righteousness and justice
and equity – every 38 good 39 way. 40
10 For wisdom will enter your heart, 41
and moral knowledge 42 will be attractive 43 to you. 44
11 Discretion 45 will protect you, 46
understanding will guard you,
12 to deliver 47 you from the way of the wicked, 48
from those 49 speaking perversity, 50
13 who leave 51 the upright 52 paths
to walk on the dark 53 ways,
14 who delight 54 in doing 55 evil, 56
they rejoice in perverse evil; 57
15 whose paths 58 are morally crooked, 59
and who are devious 60 in their ways;
16 to deliver you 61 from the adulteress, 62
from the sexually loose woman 63 who speaks flattering 64 words; 65
17 who leaves 66 the husband 67 from her younger days, 68
and forgets her marriage covenant 69 made before God. 70
18 For her house 71 sinks 72 down to death,
and her paths lead 73 to the place of the departed spirits. 74
19 None who go in to her will return, 75
nor will they reach the paths of life. 76
20 So 77 you will walk in the way of good people, 78
and will keep on the paths of the righteous. 79
21 For the upright will reside in the land,
and those with integrity 80 will remain in it,
22 but the wicked 81 will be removed 82 from the land,
and the treacherous 83 will be torn away 84 from it.
3 My child, 1 do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep 2 my commandments,
2 for they will provide 3 a long and full life, 4
and they will add well-being 5 to you.
3 Do not let truth and mercy 6 leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart. 7
4 Then you will find 8 favor and good understanding, 9
in the sight of God and people. 10
5 Trust 11 in the Lord with all your heart, 12
and do not rely 13 on your own understanding. 14
6 Acknowledge 15 him in all your ways, 16
and he will make your paths straight. 17
7 Do not be wise in your own estimation; 18
fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 19
8 This will bring 20 healing to your body, 21
and refreshment 22 to your inner self. 23
9 Honor 24 the Lord from your wealth
and from the first fruits of all your crops; 25
10 then your barns will be filled completely, 26
and your vats 27 will overflow 28 with new wine.
11 My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord, 29
and do not loathe 30 his rebuke.
12 For the Lord disciplines 31 those he loves,
just as a father 32 disciplines 33 the son in whom he delights.
13 Blessed 34 is the one 35 who finds 36 wisdom,
and the one who obtains 37 understanding.
14 For her 38 benefit 39 is more profitable 40 than silver,
and her 41 gain 42 is better 43 than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
and none of the things 44 you desire 45 can compare 46 with her. 47
16 Long life 48 is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are very pleasant, 49
and all her paths are peaceful.
18 She is like 50 a tree of life 51 to those who obtain her, 52
and everyone who grasps hold of her will be blessed. 53
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth; 54
he established the heavens by understanding. 55
20 By his knowledge the primordial sea 56 was broken open, 57
and the clouds drip down dew. 58
21 My child, do not let them 59 escape from your sight;
safeguard sound wisdom and discretion. 60
22 So 61 they will give 62 life to you, 63
and grace to adorn 64 your neck. 65
23 Then you will walk on your way 66 with security,
and you 67 will not stumble. 68
24 When 69 you lie down you will not be filled with fear; 70
when 71 you lie down your sleep will be pleasant. 72
25 You will not be afraid 73 of sudden 74 disaster, 75
or when destruction overtakes 76 the wicked; 77
26 for the Lord will be 78 the source of your confidence, 79
and he will guard your foot 80 from being caught in a trap. 81
27 Do not withhold good from those who need it, 82
when 83 you 84 have the ability 85 to help. 86
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go! Return tomorrow
and I will give it,” when 87 you have it with you at the time. 88
29 Do not plot 89 evil against your neighbor
when 90 he dwells by you unsuspectingly.
30 Do not accuse 91 anyone 92 without legitimate cause, 93
if he has not treated you wrongly.
31 Do not envy a violent man, 94
and do not choose to imitate 95 any of his ways;
32 for one who goes astray 96 is an abomination 97 to the Lord,
but he reveals 98 his intimate counsel 99 to the upright.
33 The Lord’s curse 100 is on the household 101 of the wicked, 102
but he blesses 103 the home 104 of the righteous. 105
34 Although 106 he is scornful to arrogant scoffers, 107
yet 108 he shows favor to the humble. 109
35 The wise inherit honor,
but he holds fools up 110 to public contempt. 111
