Online Bible

The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security

My son, if you will ^areceive my wordsAnd ^btreasure my commandments within you,2 ^aMake your ear attentive to wisdom,Incline your heart to understanding;3 For if you cry for discernment,¹Lift your voice for understanding;4 If you seek her as ^asilverAnd search for her as for ^bhidden treasures;5 Then you will discern the ^afear of the LORDAnd discover the knowledge of God.6 For ^athe LORD gives wisdom;From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;He is a ^ashield to those who walk in integrity,8 Guarding the paths of justice,And He ^apreserves the way of His godly ones.9 Then you will discern ^arighteousness and justiceAnd equity and every ^bgood course.10 For ^awisdom will enter your heartAnd ^bknowledge will be pleasant to your soul;11 Discretion will ^aguard you,Understanding will watch over you,12 To ^adeliver you from the way of evil,From the man who speaks ^bperverse things;13 From those who ^aleave the paths of uprightnessTo walk in the ^bways of darkness;14 Who ^adelight in doing evilAnd rejoice in the perversity of evil;15 Whose paths are ^acrooked,And who are devious in their ways;16 To ^adeliver you from the strange woman,From the ¹^badulteress who flatters with her words;17 That leaves the ^acompanion of her youthAnd forgets the ^bcovenant of her God;18 For ^aher house ¹sinks down to deathAnd her tracks lead to the ²dead;19 None ^awho go to her return again,Nor do they reach the ^bpaths of life.20 So you will ^awalk in the way of good menAnd keep to the ^bpaths of the righteous.21 For ^athe upright will ¹live in the landAnd ^bthe blameless will remain in it;22 But ^athe wicked will be cut off from the landAnd ^bthe treacherous will be ^cuprooted from it.