for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,[a](A)
knowledge and discretion(B) to a young man—
a wise man will listen and increase his learning,(C)
and a discerning man will obtain guidance—
for understanding a proverb or a parable,[b]
the words of the wise, and their riddles.(D)

The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;(E)
fools despise wisdom and discipline.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:4 Or simple, or gullible
  2. Proverbs 1:6 Or an enigma

to give shrewdness[a] to the simple,
    knowledge and purpose[b] to the young,
may the wise hear and increase learning,
    and the one who understands gain direction,[c]
to understand a proverb and an expression,
    words of wisdom and their riddles.
Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
    wisdom and instruction, fools despise.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:4 Or “cleverness,” or “prudence”
  2. Proverbs 1:4 Or “plan”
  3. Proverbs 1:5 Or “guidance”

furthermore, if you call out to insight
and lift your voice to understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it like hidden treasure,(A)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and discover the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.(B)

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For if you cry out for understanding,[a]
    if you lift[b] your voice for insight,
if you seek her like silver
    and search her out like treasure,[c]
then you will understand the fear of Yahweh,
    and the knowledge of God you will find.
For Yahweh will give wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:3 Or “call to understanding”
  2. Proverbs 2:3 Or “carry, give”
  3. Proverbs 2:4 Literally “like the treasures”

10 For wisdom will enter your mind,
and knowledge will delight your heart.
11 Discretion will watch over you,
and understanding will guard you,(A)
12 rescuing you from the way of evil—
from the one who says perverse things,

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10 for wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasing to your soul.[a]
11 Discretion will watch over you;
    understanding will protect you,
12 in order to deliver you from the way of evil,[b]
    from a man who speaks devious things—

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:10 Or “inner self”
  2. Proverbs 2:12 Or “evildoer”

All of them are clear to the perceptive,(A)
and right to those who discover knowledge.
10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.(B)
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,(C)
and nothing desirable can compare with it.(D)
12 I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness
and have knowledge and discretion.(E)

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All of them are straight to him who understands,
    and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my teaching and not silver;
    may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,
    and all desires shall not compare with her.
12 I, wisdom, live with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and discretion.

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

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Foolishness’ Banquet

10 The start of wisdom is fear of Yahweh,
    and knowledge of the Holy One,[a] insight.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:10 Or “holy ones”

14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.(A)

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14 Those who are wise lay up knowledge,
    but to the mouth of the fool, ruin draws near.

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With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

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With a mouth, the godless shall destroy his neighbor,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

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23 A shrewd person conceals knowledge,
but a foolish heart publicizes stupidity.(A)

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23 A clever person conceals knowledge,
    but the heart[a] of a fool[b] announces folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:23 Or “mind”
  2. Proverbs 12:23 Hebrew “fools”

A mocker seeks wisdom and doesn’t find it,
but knowledge comes easily to the perceptive.

Stay away from a foolish man;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.(A)

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A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none,
    but knowledge comes easily to him who understands.[a]
Leave the presence of a foolish man,[b]
    for you will not come to know words of knowledge.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:6 Literally “to one who understands it comes easy”
  2. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “from the presence belonging to a man of foolishness”
  3. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “lips of knowledge”

18 The inexperienced inherit foolishness,
but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

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18 The simple are adorned with folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.

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The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive,
but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.(A)

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The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge,
    but the mouth of fools will pour out folly.

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14 A discerning mind seeks knowledge,(A)
but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.(B)

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14 The heart of him who understands will seek knowledge,
    but the faces of fools, they[a] will feed on folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:14 Hebrew “he/it”