Proverbs 1:7
New King James Version
7 (A)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
American Standard Version
7 The fear of Jehovah is the [a]beginning of knowledge;
But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:7 Or, chief part
Proverbs 2:6
New King James Version
6 (A)For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Proverbs 2:6
American Standard Version
6 For Jehovah giveth wisdom;
Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:
Proverbs 3:13-20
New King James Version
13 (A)Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14 (B)For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And (C)all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 (D)Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17 (E)Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is (F)a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who [a]retain her.
19 (G)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were (H)broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:18 hold her fast
Proverbs 3:13-20
American Standard Version
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that [a]getteth understanding.
14 For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver,
And the profit thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies:
And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
And happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths were broken up,
And the skies drop down the dew.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:13 Hebrew draweth forth.
Proverbs 4:5-13
New King James Version
5 (A)Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
(B)Love her, and she will keep you.
7 (C)Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 (D)Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (E)an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
(F)And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have (G)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, (H)your steps will not be hindered,
(I)And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
Proverbs 4:5-13
American Standard Version
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee;
Love her, and she will keep thee.
7 [a]Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom;
Yea, with all [b]thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee;
She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace;
A crown of [c]beauty will she deliver to thee.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;
And the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;
I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened;
And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go:
Keep her; for she is thy life.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:7 Or, The beginning of wisdom is, Get wisdom
- Proverbs 4:7 Or, thou hast gotten
- Proverbs 4:9 Or, glory
Proverbs 5:1-2
New King James Version
The Peril of Adultery
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
[a]Lend your ear to my understanding,
2 That you may [b]preserve discretion,
And your lips (A)may keep knowledge.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:1 Lit. Bow
- Proverbs 5:2 appreciate good judgment
Proverbs 5:1-2
American Standard Version
5 My son, attend unto my wisdom;
Incline thine ear to my understanding:
2 That thou mayest preserve discretion,
And that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Proverbs 8:1-9:6
New King James Version
The Excellence of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the [a]high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you [b]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Listen, for I will speak of (B)excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 (C)For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 (D)The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(E)Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And (F)the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (G)I have strength.
15 (H)By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of [c]the earth.
17 (I)I love those who love me,
And (J)those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 (K)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I [d]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
22 “The(L) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 (M)I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 (N)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the [e]fields,
Or the [f]primal dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
29 (O)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When (P)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 (Q)Then I was beside Him as [g]a master craftsman;
(R)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And (S)my delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For (T)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 (U)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And (V)obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me (W)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”
The Way of Wisdom
9 Wisdom has (X)built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 (Y)She has slaughtered her meat,
(Z)She has mixed her wine,
She has also [h]furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
4 “Whoever(AA) is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come,(AB) eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:2 Lit. heights
- Proverbs 8:5 naive
- Proverbs 8:16 MT, Syr., Tg., Vg. righteousness; LXX, Bg., some mss. and editions earth
- Proverbs 8:20 walk about on
- Proverbs 8:26 outer places
- Proverbs 8:26 Lit. beginning of the dust
- Proverbs 8:30 A Jewish tradition one brought up
- Proverbs 9:2 arranged
Proverbs 8:1-9:6
American Standard Version
8 Doth not wisdom cry,
And understanding put forth her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way,
Where the paths meet, she standeth;
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
4 Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O ye simple, understand prudence;
And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things;
And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth [a]are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth,
And right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver;
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.
12 I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,
And find out [b]knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and [c]sound knowledge:
I am understanding; I have might.
15 By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
16 By me [d]princes rule,
And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me;
And those that seek me [e]diligently shall find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me;
Yea, [f]durable wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
And my [g]revenue than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice;
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,
And that I may fill their treasuries.
22 Jehovah [h]possessed me in [i]the beginning of his way,
[j]Before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
Before the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth;
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the [k]beginning of the dust of the world.
27 When he [l]established the heavens, I was there:
When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,
28 When he made firm the skies above,
When the fountains of the deep became strong,
29 When he gave to the sea [m]its bound,
That the waters should not transgress his commandment,
When he [n]marked out the foundations of the earth;
30 Then I was by him, as a master workman;
And I [o]was daily his delight,
[p]Rejoicing always before him,
31 [q]Rejoicing in his habitable earth;
And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me;
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall [r]obtain favor of Jehovah.
36 But he that [s]sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.
9 Wisdom hath builded her house;
She hath hewn out her seven pillars:
2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine;
She hath also furnished her table:
3 She hath sent forth her maidens;
She crieth upon the highest places of the city:
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither:
As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
5 Come, eat ye of my bread,
And drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6 [t]Leave off, ye simple ones, and live;
And walk in the way of understanding.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:8 Or, are righteousness
- Proverbs 8:12 Or, knowledge of witty inventions
- Proverbs 8:14 Or, effectual working
- Proverbs 8:16 Or, rulers
- Proverbs 8:17 Or, early
- Proverbs 8:18 Or, ancient
- Proverbs 8:19 Or, increase
- Proverbs 8:22 Or, formed
- Proverbs 8:22 Or, as
- Proverbs 8:22 Or, The first of
- Proverbs 8:26 Or, sum
- Proverbs 8:27 Or, prepared
- Proverbs 8:29 Or, his decree
- Proverbs 8:29 Or, appointed
- Proverbs 8:30 Or, had delight continually
- Proverbs 8:30 Or, Sporting
- Proverbs 8:31 Or, Sporting
- Proverbs 8:35 Hebrew draw forth.
- Proverbs 8:36 Or, misseth me
- Proverbs 9:6 Or, Forsake the simple
Proverbs 9:10-12
New King James Version
10 “The(A) fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 (B)For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 (C)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”
Proverbs 9:10-12
American Standard Version
10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom;
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied,
And the years of thy life shall be increased.
12 If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself;
And if thou scoffest, thou alone shalt bear it.
Proverbs 11:2
New King James Version
2 When pride comes, then comes (A)shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2
American Standard Version
2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame;
But with the lowly is wisdom.
Proverbs 14:33
New King James Version
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But (A)what is in the heart of fools is made known.
Proverbs 14:33
American Standard Version
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding;
[a]But that which is in the inward part of fools is made known.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:33 Or, And in the midst of fools it maketh itself known
Proverbs 15:33
New King James Version
Proverbs 15:33
American Standard Version
33 The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom;
And before honor goeth humility.
Proverbs 16:16
New King James Version
16 (A)How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Proverbs 16:16
American Standard Version
16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold!
Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.
Proverbs 17:24
New King James Version
24 (A)Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 17:24
American Standard Version
24 Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding;
But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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