Proverbs 1:7
New King James Version
7 (A)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 2:6
New King James Version
6 (A)For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Proverbs 3:13-20
New King James Version
13 (A)Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14 (B)For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And (C)all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 (D)Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17 (E)Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is (F)a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who [a]retain her.
19 (G)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were (H)broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:18 hold her fast
Proverbs 4:5-13
New King James Version
5 (A)Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
(B)Love her, and she will keep you.
7 (C)Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 (D)Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (E)an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
(F)And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have (G)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, (H)your steps will not be hindered,
(I)And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
Proverbs 5:1-2
New King James Version
The Peril of Adultery
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
[a]Lend your ear to my understanding,
2 That you may [b]preserve discretion,
And your lips (A)may keep knowledge.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:1 Lit. Bow
- Proverbs 5:2 appreciate good judgment
Proverbs 8:1-9:6
New King James Version
The Excellence of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the [a]high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you [b]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Listen, for I will speak of (B)excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 (C)For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 (D)The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(E)Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And (F)the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (G)I have strength.
15 (H)By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of [c]the earth.
17 (I)I love those who love me,
And (J)those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 (K)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I [d]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
22 “The(L) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 (M)I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 (N)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the [e]fields,
Or the [f]primal dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
29 (O)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When (P)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 (Q)Then I was beside Him as [g]a master craftsman;
(R)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And (S)my delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For (T)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 (U)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And (V)obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me (W)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”
The Way of Wisdom
9 Wisdom has (X)built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 (Y)She has slaughtered her meat,
(Z)She has mixed her wine,
She has also [h]furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
4 “Whoever(AA) is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come,(AB) eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:2 Lit. heights
- Proverbs 8:5 naive
- Proverbs 8:16 MT, Syr., Tg., Vg. righteousness; LXX, Bg., some mss. and editions earth
- Proverbs 8:20 walk about on
- Proverbs 8:26 outer places
- Proverbs 8:26 Lit. beginning of the dust
- Proverbs 8:30 A Jewish tradition one brought up
- Proverbs 9:2 arranged
Proverbs 9:10-12
New King James Version
10 “The(A) fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 (B)For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 (C)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”
Proverbs 11:2
New King James Version
2 When pride comes, then comes (A)shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 14:33
New King James Version
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But (A)what is in the heart of fools is made known.
Proverbs 15:33
New King James Version
Proverbs 16:16
New King James Version
16 (A)How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Proverbs 17:24
New King James Version
24 (A)Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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