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So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];

Yes, if you cry out for insight,
And lift up your voice for understanding;

If you seek skillful and godly wisdom as you would silver
And search for her as you would hidden treasures;

Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]
And discover the knowledge of God.(A)

For the Lord gives [skillful and godly] wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

He stores away sound wisdom for the righteous [those who are in right standing with Him];
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity [those of honorable character and moral courage],

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turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding(A)
indeed, if you call out for insight(B)
    and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,(C)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.(D)
For the Lord gives wisdom;(E)
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.(F)
He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield(G) to those whose walk is blameless,(H)

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Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

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Trust in the Lord(A) with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;

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A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none [for his ears are closed to wisdom],
But knowledge is easy for one who understands [because he is willing to learn].

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The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
    but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.(A)

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29 
He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control],
But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].(A)

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29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,(A)
    but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.(B)

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33 
Wisdom rests [silently] in the heart of one who has understanding,
But what is in the heart of [shortsighted] fools is made known.(A)

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33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning(A)
    and even among fools she lets herself be known.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:33 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac discerning / but in the heart of fools she is not known

32 
He who neglects and ignores instruction and discipline despises himself,
But he who learns from rebuke acquires understanding [and grows in wisdom].

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32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,(A)
    but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.(B)

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21 
The wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweet speech increases persuasiveness and learning [in both speaker and listener].

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21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive

10 
A reprimand goes deeper into one who has understanding and a teachable spirit
Than a hundred lashes into a fool.(A)

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10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

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27 
He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words,
And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).(A)

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27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(A)
    and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(B)

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A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].

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Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.(A)

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He who gains wisdom and good sense loves (preserves) his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good and prosper.

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The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(A)

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A plan (motive, wise counsel) in the heart of a man is like water in a deep well,
But a man of understanding draws it out.(A)

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The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,(A)
    but one who has insight draws them out.

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30 
There is no [human] wisdom or understanding
Or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.

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30 There is no wisdom,(A) no insight, no plan
    that can succeed against the Lord.(B)

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