Add parallel Print Page Options

making your ear attentive to wisdom,
    and turning your heart to understanding—
if, indeed, you call out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
    and search for it like hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and learn to know God.

For the Lord gives wisdom,
    and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright
    and is a shield to those who walk in integrity—

Read full chapter

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,

Read full chapter

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 depend on your own understanding.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

A mocker seeks wisdom and finds[a] none,
    but learning comes easily to someone who understands.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:6 The Heb. lacks finds

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

29 Being slow to get angry compares to great understanding
    as being quick-tempered compares to stupidity.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:29 Or “breath”

33 Wisdom is at rest in the mind of the discerning—
    even fools know this.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:33 So MT; LXX reads but in the heart of fools it is not discerned

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:33 Or “mind”

32 Whoever ignores instruction hates himself,
    but anyone who heeds reproof gains understanding.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:32 Lit. heart

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

21 The wise-hearted person is told to be discerning,
    and that pleasant speech promotes instruction.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:21 Or “mind”

10 A rebuke is more effective with a man of understanding
    than a hundred lashes to a fool.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

27 Whoever controls what he says is knowledgeable;
    anyone who has a calm spirit is a man of understanding.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand,
    for he would rather express his own opinion.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”

Whoever obtains wisdom loves himself,
    and whoever treasures understanding will prosper.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

The intentions of a person’s heart are deep waters,
    but a discerning person reveals them.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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