2:1 My son, if you will take my words to your heart, storing up my laws in your mind;
2:2 So that your ear gives attention to wisdom, and your heart is turned to knowledge;
2:3 Truly, if you are crying out for good sense, and your request is for knowledge;
2:4 If you are looking for her as for silver, and searching for her as for stored-up wealth;
2:5 Then the fear of the Lord will be clear to you, and knowledge of God will be yours.
2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and reason:
2:7 He has salvation stored up for the upright, he is a breastplate to those in whom there is no evil;
2:8 He keeps watch on the ways which are right, and takes care of those who have the fear of him.
2:9 Then you will have knowledge of righteousness and right acting, and upright behaviour, even of every good way.
2:10 For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasing to your soul;
2:11 Wise purposes will be watching over you, and knowledge will keep you;
2:12 Giving you salvation from the evil man, from those whose words are false;
2:13 Who give up the way of righteousness, to go by dark roads;
2:14 Who take pleasure in wrongdoing, and have joy in the evil designs of the sinner;
2:15 Whose ways are not straight, and whose footsteps are turned to evil:
2:16 To take you out of the power of the strange woman, who says smooth words with her tongue;
2:17 Who is false to the husband of her early years, and does not keep the agreement of her God in mind:
2:18 For her house is on the way down to death; her footsteps go down to the shades:
2:19 Those who go to her do not come back again; their feet do not keep in the ways of life:
2:20 So that you may go in the way of good men, and keep in the footsteps of the upright.
2:21 For the upright will be living in the land, and the good will have it for their heritage.
2:22 But sinners will be cut off from the land, and those whose acts are false will be uprooted.