The Benefits of Wisdom

1My sonne, if thou wilt receiue my wordes, and hide my commandements within thee,

2And cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisdome, and encline thine heart to vnderstanding,

3(For if thou callest after knowledge, and cryest for vnderstanding:

4If thou seekest her as siluer, & searchest for her as for treasures,

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

6For the Lorde giueth wisdome, out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding.

7He preserueth the state of the righteous: he is a shielde to them that walke vprightly,

8That they may keepe the wayes of iudgement: and he preserueth the way of his Saintes)

9Then shalt thou vnderstand righteousnes, and iudgement, and equitie, and euery good path.

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

11Then shall counsell preserue thee, and vnderstanding shall keepe thee,

12And deliuer thee from the euill way, and from the man that speaketh froward things,

13And from them that leaue the wayes of righteousnes to walke in the wayes of darkenes:

14Which reioyce in doing euill, and delite in the frowardnesse of the wicked,

15Whose wayes are crooked and they are lewde in their paths.

16And it shall deliuer thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger, which flattereth with her wordes.

17Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the couenant of her God.

18Surely her house tendeth to death, and her paths vnto the dead.

19All they that goe vnto her, returne not againe, neither take they holde of the wayes of life.

20Therefore walke thou in the way of good men, and keepe the wayes of the righteous.

21For the iust shal dwell in the land, and the vpright men shall remaine in it.

22But the wicked shalbe cut off from ye earth, and the transgressours shalbe rooted out of it.