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Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

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The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[a] despise wisdom(B) and instruction.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.

Benefits of wisdom

My son, accept my words
    and store up my commands.
Turn your ear toward wisdom,
    and stretch your mind toward understanding.
Call out for insight,
    and cry aloud for understanding.
Seek it like silver;
    search for it like hidden treasure.
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
    and discover the knowledge of God.

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Moral Benefits of Wisdom

My son,(A) if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding(B)
indeed, if you call out for insight(C)
    and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,(D)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.(E)

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Don’t consider yourself wise.
    Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Then your body[a] will be healthy
    and your bones strengthened.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:8 Heb navel

Do not be wise in your own eyes;(A)
    fear the Lord(B) and shun evil.(C)
This will bring health to your body(D)
    and nourishment to your bones.(E)

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13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.
    I hate pride and arrogance,
        the path of evil and corrupt speech.

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13 To fear the Lord(A) is to hate evil;(B)
    I hate(C) pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech.

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10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord;
    the knowledge of the holy one is understanding.

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10 The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One(B) is understanding.(C)

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27 The fear of the Lord increases one’s life,
    but the years of the wicked will be cut short.

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27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,(A)
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.(B)

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Those who walk with integrity fear the Lord,
    but those who take a crooked path despise him.

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Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,
    but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

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26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence
    and refuge for one’s children.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    turning people away from deathtraps.

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26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,(A)
    and for their children it will be a refuge.(B)

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,(C)
    turning a person from the snares of death.(D)

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16 Better a little with fear of the Lord
    than a great treasure with turmoil.

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16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil.(A)

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33 The fear of the Lord is wise instruction,
    and humility comes before respect.

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33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,(A)
    and humility comes before honor.(B)

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Love and faithfulness reconcile guilt;
    the fear of the Lord turns away evil.

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Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
    through the fear of the Lord(A) evil is avoided.(B)

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23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by harm.

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23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(A)

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