The Benefits of Wisdom

1My sonne, if thou wylt receaue my wordes, and lay vp my commaundementes within thee,

2That thou wylt encline thine eares vnto wisdome: applye thine heart then to vnderstandyng.

3For if thou cryest after wisdome, and cryest for knowledge:

4If thou seekest for her as for siluer, and searchest for her as for treasures:

5Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lorde, and finde the knowledge of God.

6For the Lorde geueth wisdome, out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstandyng.

7He stirreth vp health for the righteous: and defendeth them that walke vprightly,

8That they may kepe the right path: and he preserueth the way of such as do serue him with godlinesse.

9Then shalt thou vnderstande righteousnesse, and iudgement, and equitie, yea and euery good path.

10When wisdome entreth into thine heart, and thy soule deliteth in knowledge:

11Then shall counsayle preserue thee, and vnderstandyng shall kepe thee,

12That thou mayest be deliuered from the euyll way, and from the man that speaketh frowarde thynges:

13From such as leaue the wayes of righteousnesse, to walke in the wayes of darknesse:

14Which reioyce in doyng naught, and delite in the wickednesse of the euyll:

15Whose wayes are croked, and they frowarde in their pathes.

16That thou mayest be deliuered also from the straunge woman, and from her that is not thine owne, which geueth sweete wordes,

17Forsaketh the husbande of her youth, & forgetteth the couenaunt of her God.

18For her house is enclined vnto death, and her pathes vnto hell.

19All they that go in vnto her, come not agayne, neither take they holde of the way of lyfe.

20Therfore walke thou in the way of such as be vertuous, & kepe the pathes of the righteous.

21For the iust shal dwell in the lande, and they that be perfect shall remayne in it.

22But the vngodly shall be cut of from the earth: and the wicked doers shalbe rooted out of it.