Pursue Divine Wisdom

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

³³ but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.

¹ My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, ² making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; ³ yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, ⁴ if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, ⁵ then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. ⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord ’s discipline or be weary of his reproof,

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

⁵ Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. 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, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. ⁹ She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.

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.

²⁰ My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. ²¹ Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. ²² For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.

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.

¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; ¹⁶ by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. 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 righteousness.

²¹ granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

³² And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. ³³ Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. ³⁴ Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. ³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, ³⁶ but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.

²⁵ Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

¹³ Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

⁷ When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

²⁰ Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

¹⁶ A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.

²² A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

³ By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; ⁴ by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

²⁵ The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

⁸ Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, ⁹ lest I be full and deny you and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.