Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

The Enticement of Sinners

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,

making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;

for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

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

A Father's Wise Instruction

Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,

he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.

Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.

Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!

with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;

a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,

Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.

Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;

bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths,

Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,

Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight.

Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.

A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly.

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.

The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.

Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of man!

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones.

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.

A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.

Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.

Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?

The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure.

He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

Words of the Wise

Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.

Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.

Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.

Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things.

for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.

If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.

lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end.

Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.

Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.

Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;

when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.

As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.

If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.