The Value of Wisdom
1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
1:9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
3:19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
3:21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
3:22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
3:35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
4:3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
5:2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
6:21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
6:22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
7:1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
7:3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
9:11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
10:13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
16:22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
16:23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
17:2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
18:15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
19:8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
19:16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.
19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
22:19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
22:20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
22:21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
23:22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24:3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
24:4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
24:13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
24:14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
The Call of Wisdom
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