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    by paying attention[a] to wisdom with your ear,
    by reaching out for understanding with your heart,
if indeed you call out for intelligence,
if you raise your voice for understanding,
if you search for it like silver,
if you hunt for it like hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
then you will find the knowledge of God,
because the Lord gives wisdom.
Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.
He stores up sound judgment for upright people.
He is a shield for those who walk in integrity.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:2 Or so you can pay attention

in order to incline your ear toward wisdom,
    then you shall apply your heart to understanding.
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.
For the upright, he stores[d] sound judgment, a shield for those who walk uprightly,

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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”
  4. Proverbs 2:7 Or “hides, keeps”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding.

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Trust Yahweh[a] with all your heart;
    do not lean toward your own understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:5 Literally “trust toward Yahweh”

A scoffer seeks wisdom yet finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.

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A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none,
    but knowledge comes easily to him who understands.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:6 Literally “to one who understands it comes easy”

29 A patient person has great understanding,
but an impatient person exalts foolishness.

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29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but the hasty of spirit[a] exalts folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:29 Or “breath”

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning.
It can be recognized even among fools.

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33 In the heart[a] of him who has understanding, wisdom rests,
    but even in the midst of fools it becomes known.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:33 Or “mind”

32 A person who ignores discipline despises himself,
but a person who listens to a warning acquires good sense.

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32 He who ignores instruction despises himself,[a]
    but he who hears admonition gains heart.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:32 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  2. Proverbs 15:32 Or “mind”

21 A wise heart will be called discerning,
and appealing speech increases learning.

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21 The wise of heart[a] is called perceptive,
    but he who is pleasant of lips will increase persuasiveness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:21 Or “mind”

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

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10 A rebuke strikes him who understands
    deeper than one hundred blows to a fool.

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27 A person with knowledge restrains his words.
A person with understanding is even-tempered.

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27 He who spares his sayings knows knowledge,
    and a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

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A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,
but only in revealing his own opinions.

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A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
    but in expressing his heart.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”

A person who acquires intelligence[a] loves his life.[b]
A person who guards understanding finds a good thing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:8 Literally heart
  2. Proverbs 19:8 Or his soul

He who acquires wisdom loves himself;[a]
    he who guards understanding loves to find good.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:8 Or “soul,” or “inner self”

The intentions in a person’s heart are deep water,
but a person with understanding can draw them out.

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Deep waters are like purpose in the heart[a] of a man,
    and a man of understanding will draw it[b] out.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:5 Or “mind”
  2. Proverbs 20:5 Or “her”; referring to “purpose”