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To give (A)prudence to the [a](B)simple,
To the youth (C)knowledge and discretion;
Let the wise man hear and (D)increase in learning,
And a (E)man of understanding will acquire guidance,
To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their (F)riddles.

(G)The fear of [b]Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
[c]Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:4 Or naive
  2. Proverbs 1:7 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  3. Proverbs 1:7 One who lacks wisdom due to negligence or carelessness; so in Prov

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”

For if you call out for understanding,
Give your voice for discernment;
If you seek her as (A)silver
And search for her as for (B)hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the (C)fear of Yahweh
And find the knowledge of God.
For (D)Yahweh gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and discernment.

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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 (A)wisdom will enter your heart
And (B)knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 Discretion will (C)keep you,
Discernment will guard you,
12 To (D)deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks (E)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”

They are all (A)straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who (B)find knowledge.
10 Take my (C)discipline and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choicest fine gold.
11 For wisdom is (D)better than pearls;
And (E)all desirable things cannot compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, (F)dwell with prudence,
And I find (G)knowledge and discretion.

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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 (A)fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One 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 Wise men (A)store up knowledge,
But (B)the mouth of the ignorant fool draws ruin near.

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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 (A)mouth the godless man corrupts his neighbor,
But through knowledge the (B)righteous will be 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 (A)prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims folly.

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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 scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
Leave the (A)presence of a fool,
As you have not known lips of knowledge there.

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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 simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are [a]crowned with knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:18 Lit surrounded

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

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The (A)tongue of the wise makes knowledge look good,
But the (B)mouth of [a]fools pours forth [b]folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:2 One who fails in wisdom due to willful sin
  2. Proverbs 15:2 A lack of wisdom due to negligence or carelessness; the activity of an ignorant fool

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

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14 The (A)heart of the one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

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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”