Proverbs 1:7
Revised Standard Version
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 2:6
Revised Standard Version
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Proverbs 3:13-20
Revised Standard Version
The True Wealth
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
and the man who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from it is better than gain from silver
and its profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life 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 those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.
God’s Wisdom in Creation
19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke forth,
and the clouds drop down the dew.
Proverbs 4:5-13
Revised Standard Version
5 do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Get wisdom; get insight.[a]
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly,[b] and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a fair garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
Admonition to Keep to the Right Path
10 Hear, my son, 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.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered;
and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Keep hold of instruction, do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:5 Reversing the order of the lines
- Proverbs 4:8 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
Proverbs 5:1-2
Revised Standard Version
Warning against Impurity and Infidelity
5 My son, be attentive to my wisdom,
incline your ear to my understanding;
2 that you may keep discretion,
and your lips may guard knowledge.
Proverbs 8:1-9:6
Revised Standard Version
The Gifts of Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom call,
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
in the paths she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O foolish men, pay attention.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right;
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 I, wisdom, dwell in prudence,[a]
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound wisdom,
I have insight, I have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles govern[b] the earth.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in 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 of his work,[c]
the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
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;
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,[d]
or the first of the dust[e] of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established[f] 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,
30 then I was beside him, like a master workman;[g]
and I was daily his[h] delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the sons of men.
32 And now, my sons, listen to me:
happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Happy is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For he who finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord;
36 but he who misses me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.”
Wisdom’s Feast
9 Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up[i] her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her maids to call
from the highest places in the town,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who is without sense she says,
5 “Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave simpleness,[j] and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:12 Heb obscure
- Proverbs 8:16 Gk: Heb all the governors of
- Proverbs 8:22 Heb way
- Proverbs 8:26 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:26 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:30 Another reading is little child
- Proverbs 8:30 Gk: Heb lacks his
- Proverbs 9:1 Gk Syr Tg: Heb hewn
- Proverbs 9:6 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb simple ones
Proverbs 9:10-12
Revised Standard Version
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
Proverbs 11:2
Revised Standard Version
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace;
but with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 14:33
Revised Standard Version
33 Wisdom abides in the mind of a man of understanding,
but it is not[a] known in the heart of fools.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:33 Gk Syr: Heb lacks not
Proverbs 15:33
Revised Standard Version
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility goes before honor.
Proverbs 16:16
Revised Standard Version
16 To get wisdom is better[a] than gold;
to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:16 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb how much better
Proverbs 17:24
Revised Standard Version
24 A man of understanding sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 18:4
Revised Standard Version
4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.
Proverbs 19:8
Revised Standard Version
8 He who gets wisdom loves himself;
he who keeps understanding will prosper.
Proverbs 24:3
Revised Standard Version
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
Proverbs 24:7
Revised Standard Version
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the gate he does not open his mouth.
Proverbs 24:14
Revised Standard Version
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
Proverbs 28:26
Revised Standard Version
26 He who trusts in his own mind is a fool;
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
Proverbs 30:24-28
Revised Standard Version
24 Four things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
25 the ants are a people not strong,
yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 the badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 the locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in rank;
28 the lizard you can take in your hands,
yet it is in kings’ palaces.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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