1 My sonne, if thou wilt receiue my wordes, and hide my commandements within thee,
2 And cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisdome, and encline thine heart to vnderstanding,
3 (For if thou callest after knowledge, and cryest for vnderstanding:
4 If thou seekest her as siluer, and searchest for her as for treasures,
5 Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord giueth wisdome, out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding.
7 He preserueth the state of the righteous: he is a shielde to them that walke vprightly,
8 That they may keepe the wayes of iudgement: and he preserueth the way of his Saintes)
9 Then shalt thou vnderstand righteousnes, and iudgement, and equitie, and euery good path.
¶ 10 When wisdome entreth into thine heart, and knowledge deliteth thy soule,
11 Then shall counsell preserue thee, and vnderstanding shall keepe thee,
12 And deliuer thee from the euill way, and from the man that speaketh froward things,
13 And from them that leaue the wayes of righteousnes to walke in the wayes of darkenes:
14 Which reioyce in doing euill, and delite in the frowardnesse of the wicked,
15 Whose wayes are crooked and they are lewde in their paths.
16 And it shall deliuer thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger, which flattereth with her wordes.
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the couenant of her God.
18 Surely her house tendeth to death, and her paths vnto the dead.
19 All they that goe vnto her, returne not againe, neither take they holde of the wayes of life.
20 Therefore walke thou in the way of good men, and keepe the wayes of the righteous.
21 For the iust shall dwell in the land, and the vpright men shall remaine in it.
22 But the wicked shalbe cut off from ye earth, and the transgressours shalbe rooted out of it.