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

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

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Wisdom’s Worth

My son, if you accept my words(A)
and store up my commands within you,
listening closely[a] to wisdom
and directing your heart to understanding;
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,(B)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and discover the knowledge of God.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:2 Lit you, stretching out your ear

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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Don’t consider yourself to be wise;(A)
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.(B)
This will be healing for your body[a](C)
and strengthening for your bones.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:8 Lit navel

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

13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.(A)
I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,
and perverse speech.

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

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27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,[a](A)
but the years of the wicked are cut short.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:27 Lit Lord adds to days

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

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Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord,(A)
but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.(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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26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence
and his children have a refuge.(A)

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning people away from the snares of death.(B)

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

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

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33 The fear of the Lord is what wisdom teaches,
and humility comes before honor.(A)

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

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Wickedness is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness,(A)
and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord.(B)

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

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23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
one will sleep at night[a] without danger.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:23 Lit will spend the night satisfied

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

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