Proverbs 2
Wisdom’s Worth
1My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,23listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding;4
5furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,6
7if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure,8
9then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.10
11For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.12
13He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity14
15so that he may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of his faithful followers.16
17Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity — every good path.18
19For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight you.20
21Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you.22
23It will rescue you from the way of evil — from anyone who says perverse things,24
25from those who abandon the right paths to walk in ways of darkness,26
27from those who enjoy doing evil and celebrate perversion,28
29whose paths are crooked, and whose ways are devious.30
31It will rescue you from a forbidden woman, from a wayward woman with her flattering talk,32
33who abandons the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God;34
35for her house sinks down to death and her ways to the land of the departed spirits.36
37None return who go to her; none reach the paths of life.38
39So follow the way of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.40
41For the upright will inhabit the land, and those of integrity will remain in it;42
43but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous ripped out of it.44