Proverbs 1:7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.(A)
Proverbs 1:7
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 2:6
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(A)
Proverbs 2:6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.(A)
Proverbs 3:13-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The True Wealth
13 Happy are those who find wisdom
and those who get understanding,
14 for her income is better than silver
and her revenue better than gold.(A)
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.(B)
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.(C)
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.(D)
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.(E)
God’s Wisdom in Creation
19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;(F)
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.(G)
Proverbs 3:13-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom Brings Happiness
13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom(A)
and who acquires understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.(B)
15 She is more precious than jewels;(C)
nothing you desire compares with her.(D)
16 Long life[a] is in her right hand;
in her left, riches and honor.(E)
17 Her ways are pleasant,(F)
and all her paths, peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life(G) to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.
19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom(H)
and established the heavens by understanding.
20 By His knowledge the watery depths broke open,(I)
and the clouds dripped with dew.(J)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:16 Lit Length of days
Proverbs 4:5-13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget nor turn away
from the words of my mouth.(A)
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.(B)
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom,
and whatever else you get, get insight.(C)
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.(D)
9 She will place on your head a fair garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”(E)
Admonition to Keep to the Right Path
10 Hear, my child, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.(F)
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble.(G)
13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.
Proverbs 4:5-13
Holman Christian Standard Bible
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;(A)
don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her,(B) and she will guard you.
7 Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.(C)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.(D)
9 She will place a garland of grace on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”(E)
Two Ways of Life
10 Listen, my son. Accept my words,(F)
and you will live many years.(G)
11 I am teaching you the way of wisdom;
I am guiding you on straight paths.(H)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered;(I)
when you run, you will not stumble.(J)
13 Hold on to instruction; don’t let go.(K)
Guard it, for it is your life.
Proverbs 5:1-2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Warning against Impurity and Infidelity
5 My child, be attentive to my wisdom;
incline your ear to my understanding,(A)
2 so that you may hold on to prudence,
and your lips may guard knowledge.
Proverbs 5:1-2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Avoid Seduction
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen closely[a] to my understanding(A)
2 so that you may maintain discretion
and your lips safeguard knowledge.(B)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:1 Lit wisdom; stretch out your ear
Proverbs 8:1-9:6
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Gifts of Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom call
and understanding raise her voice?(A)
2 On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:(B)
4 “To you, O people, I call,
and my cry is to all who live.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
acquire intelligence, you who lack it.(C)
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,(D)
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.(E)
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to one who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.(F)
10 Take my instruction instead of silver
and knowledge rather than choice gold,(G)
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.(H)
12 I, wisdom, live with prudence,
and I attain knowledge and discretion.(I)
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.(J)
14 I have good advice and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.(K)
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;(L)
16 by me rulers rule,
and nobles, all who govern rightly.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.(M)
18 Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and prosperity.(N)
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.(O)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 endowing with wealth those who love me
and filling their treasuries.
Wisdom’s Part in Creation
22 “The Lord created me at the beginning[a] of his work,[b]
the first of his acts of long ago.(P)
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.(Q)
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,(R)
26 when he had not yet made earth and fields[c]
or the world’s first bits of soil.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,(S)
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,(T)
30 then I was beside him, like a master worker,[d]
and I was daily his[e] delight,
playing before him always,(U)
31 playing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the human race.(V)
32 “And now, my children, listen to me:
happy are those who keep my ways.(W)
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Happy is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.(X)
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord,(Y)
36 but those who miss me injure themselves;
all who hate me love death.”(Z)
Wisdom’s Feast
9 Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.(AA)
2 She has slaughtered her animals; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.(AB)
3 She has sent out her female servants; she calls
from the highest places in the town,(AC)
4 “You who are simple, turn in here!”
To those without sense she says,(AD)
5 “Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.(AE)
6 Lay aside immaturity and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”(AF)
Proverbs 8:1-9:6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom’s Appeal
8 Doesn’t Wisdom(A) call out?
Doesn’t Understanding make her voice heard?
2 At the heights overlooking the road,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand.
3 Beside the gates(B) at the entry to[a] the city,
at the main entrance, she cries out:
4 “People, I call out to you;
my cry is to mankind.
5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;
develop common sense, you who are foolish.
6 Listen, for I speak of noble things,
and what my lips say is right.
7 For my mouth tells the truth,(C)
and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
none of them are deceptive or perverse.(D)
9 All of them are clear to the perceptive,(E)
and right to those who discover knowledge.
10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.(F)
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,(G)
and nothing desirable can compare with it.(H)
12 I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness
and have knowledge and discretion.(I)
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.(J)
I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,
and perverse speech.
14 I possess good advice and competence;[b]
I have understanding and strength.(K)
15 It is by me that kings reign(L)
and rulers enact just law;
16 by me, princes lead,
as do nobles and all righteous judges.[c]
17 I love those who love me,(M)
and those who search for me find me.(N)
18 With me are riches and honor,(O)
lasting wealth and righteousness.(P)
19 My fruit is better than solid gold,
and my harvest than pure silver.(Q)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 “The Lord made[d] me
at the beginning of His creation,[e]
before His works of long ago.(R)
23 I was formed before ancient times,
from the beginning, before the earth began.(S)
24 I was born
when there were no watery depths(T)
and no springs filled with water.
25 I was delivered
before the mountains and hills were established,(U)
26 before He made the land, the fields,
or the first soil on earth.
27 I was there when He established the heavens,(V)
when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,(W)
28 when He placed the skies above,
when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,
29 when He set a limit for the sea
so that the waters would not violate His command,(X)
when He laid out the foundations of the earth.(Y)
30 I was a skilled craftsman[f] beside Him.(Z)
I was His[g] delight every day,
always rejoicing before Him.
31 I was rejoicing in His inhabited world,(AA)
delighting in the human race.(AB)
32 “And now, my sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy.(AC)
33 Listen to instruction and be wise;(AD)
don’t ignore it.
34 Anyone who listens to me is happy,(AE)
watching at my doors every day,
waiting by the posts of my doorway.
35 For the one who finds me finds life(AF)
and obtains favor from the Lord,(AG)
36 but the one who misses me[h] harms himself;(AH)
all who hate me love death.”(AI)
Wisdom versus Foolishness
9 Wisdom has built her house;(AJ)
she has carved out her seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat;(AK) she has mixed her wine;(AL)
she has also set her table.(AM)
3 She has sent out her female servants;(AN)
she calls out from the highest points of the city:(AO)
4 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense,(AP) she says,
5 “Come, eat my bread,(AQ)
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;
pursue the way of understanding.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:3 Lit the mouth of
- Proverbs 8:14 Or resourcefulness
- Proverbs 8:16 Some Hb mss, LXX read nobles who judge the earth
- Proverbs 8:22 Or possessed, or begot
- Proverbs 8:22 Lit way
- Proverbs 8:30 Or a confidant, or a child, or was constantly
- Proverbs 8:30 LXX; MT omits His
- Proverbs 8:36 Or who sins against me
Proverbs 9:10-12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.(A)
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.(B)
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.(C)
Proverbs 9:10-12
Holman Christian Standard Bible
10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,(A)
and the knowledge of the Holy One(B) is understanding.
11 For by Wisdom your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;(C)
if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”
Proverbs 11:2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but wisdom is with the humble.(A)
Proverbs 11:2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 When pride comes, disgrace follows,
but with humility comes wisdom.(A)
Proverbs 14:33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
33 Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding,
but it is not[a] known in the heart of fools.(A)
Footnotes
- 14.33 Gk Syr: Heb lacks not
Proverbs 14:33
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:33 LXX reads unknown
Proverbs 15:33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility goes before honor.(A)
Proverbs 15:33
Holman Christian Standard Bible
33 The fear of the Lord is what wisdom teaches,
and humility comes before honor.(A)
Proverbs 16:16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.(A)
Proverbs 16:16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
16 Get wisdom—
how much better it is than gold!
And get understanding—
it is preferable to silver.(A)
Proverbs 17:24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
24 The discerning person looks to wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.(A)
Proverbs 17:24
Holman Christian Standard Bible
24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes(A) roam to the ends of the earth.
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