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,(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)
He stores up success[b] for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Lit you, stretching out your ear
  2. 2:7 Or resourcefulness

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 the Lord with all your heart,(A)
and do not rely on your own understanding;(B)

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

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

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29 A patient person shows great understanding,(A)
but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.

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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 resides in the heart of the discerning;(A)
she is known[a] even among fools.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:33 LXX reads unknown

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 Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself,(A)
but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. 15:32 Lit acquires a heart

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

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21 Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning,
and pleasant speech[a] increases learning.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 16:21 Lit and sweetness of lips

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 rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

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

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27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words,(A)
and one who keeps a cool head[a]
is a person of understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:27 Lit spirit

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

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A fool does not delight in understanding,
but only wants to show off his opinions.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:2 Lit to uncover his heart

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

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The one who acquires good sense[a] loves himself;
one who safeguards understanding finds success.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 19:8 Lit acquires a heart

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

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Counsel in a person’s heart is deep water;(A)
but a person of understanding draws it out.

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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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