Wisdom and Bad Friends

1My child, you must follow

and treasure my teachings

and my instructions.

2Keep in tune with wisdom

and think what it means

to have common sense.

3Beg as loud as you can

for good common sense.

4Search for wisdom

as you would search for silver

or hidden treasure.

5Then you will understand

what it means to respect

and to know the Lord God.

6 All wisdom comes from the Lord,

and so do common sense

and understanding.

7God gives helpful advice+

to everyone who obeys him

and protects those

who live as they should.

8God sees that justice is done,

and he watches over everyone

who is faithful to him.

9With wisdom you will learn

what is right

and honest and fair.

10Wisdom will control your mind,

and you will be pleased

with knowledge.

11Sound judgment and good sense

will watch over you.

12Wisdom will protect you

from evil schemes

and from those liars

13who turned from doing good

to live in the darkness.

14Most of all they enjoy

being mean and deceitful.

15They are dishonest themselves,

and so are all their deeds.

Wisdom and Sexual Purity

16Wisdom will protect you

from the smooth talk

of a sinful woman,

17who breaks her wedding vows

and leaves the man she married

when she was young.

18The road to her house leads

down

to the dark world

of the dead.

19Visit her, and you will never

find the road to life again.

20Follow the example

of good people

and live an honest life.

21If you are honest and innocent,

you will keep your land;

22if you do wrong

and can never be trusted,

you will be rooted out.