1 fili mi si susceperis sermones meos
et mandata mea absconderis penes te
2 ut audiat sapientiam auris tua
inclina cor tuum ad noscendam
prudentiam
3 si enim sapientiam invocaveris et inclinaveris cor tuum prudentiae
4 si quaesieris eam quasi pecuniam
et sicut thesauros effoderis illam
5 tunc intelleges timorem Domini et scientiam Dei invenies
6 quia Dominus dat sapientiam
et ex ore eius scientia et prudentia
7 custodiet rectorum salutem et proteget gradientes simpliciter
8 servans semitas iustitiae et vias sanctorum custodiens
9 tunc intelleges iustitiam et iudicium
et aequitatem et omnem semitam bonam
10 si intraverit sapientia cor tuum et scientia animae tuae placuerit
11 consilium custodiet te prudentia servabit te
12 ut eruaris de via mala
ab homine qui perversa loquitur
13 qui relinquunt iter rectum et ambulant per vias tenebrosas
14 qui laetantur cum malefecerint et exultant in rebus pessimis
15 quorum viae perversae et infames gressus eorum
16 ut eruaris a muliere aliena
et ab extranea quae mollit sermones suos
17 et relinquit ducem pubertatis suae
18 et pacti Dei sui oblita est
inclinata est enim ad mortem domus eius
et ad impios semitae ipsius
19 omnes qui ingrediuntur ad eam non revertentur
nec adprehendent semitas vitae
20 ut ambules in via bona et calles iustorum custodias
21 qui enim recti sunt habitabunt in terra
et simplices permanebunt in ea
22 impii vero de terra perdentur
et qui inique agunt auferentur ex ea
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path.
10 ¶ When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: 12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man , from the man that speaketh froward things; 13 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 the wicked; 15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: 16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; 17 Which 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 take they hold of the paths of life. 20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men , 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 earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.