So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;

When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,

Guidance for the Young

My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.

Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

And say: “How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction!

Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord.

A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,

Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck.

Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.

Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.

And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths;

O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.

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

Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their ways are His delight.

He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

A man will be commended according to his wisdom, But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy.

A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.

Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief.

The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above.

A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.

Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known.

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so.

Hell and Destruction are before the Lord; So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, And a good report makes the bones healthy.

Wisdom Is Better Than Gold

The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips.

The Lord Tests Hearts

Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife.

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.

Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, Since he has no heart for it?

He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.

A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.

Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.

The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the Lord.

Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.

There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.

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

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.

The Lord Considers the Heart

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

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

A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin.

He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

Sayings of the Wise

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

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.

My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;

Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;

Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide 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 will utter perverse things.

For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.

If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

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

Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart;

Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him who reproaches me.

As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.

Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart.

The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.