²⁰ Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom for the future.^(A)

¹⁵ Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to advice.^(A)

³⁴ Happy is the one who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
    waiting beside my doors.^(A)
35 For whoever finds me finds life
    and obtains favor from the Lord,^(B)

2 My child, if you accept my words
    and treasure up my commandments within you,^(A)
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding,
³ if you indeed cry out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
⁴ if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures—^(B)
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.^(C)
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;^(D)
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,^(E)
8 guarding the paths of justice
    and preserving the way of his faithful ones.^(F)
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path,^(G)

⁸ Hear, my child, your father’s instruction,
    and do not reject your mother’s teaching,^(A)

4 Listen, children, to a father’s instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may gain^[a] insight,^(A)

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob
    or number the dust cloud^[a] of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
    and let my end be like his!”^(A)