2182 verses about Discernment

For verily all men by nature were but vain who had no perception of God, And from the good things that are seen they gained not power to know him that is, Neither by giving heed to the works did they recognize the architect;

For the dreams, perturbing them, did foreshew this, That they might not perish without knowing why they were afflicted.

Wisdom has been created before all things, And the understanding of prudence from everlasting.

To whom has the root of wisdom been revealed? And who has known her shrewd counsels?

He both saw and counted her; He rained down skill and knowledge of understanding, And exalted the honor of those who hold her fast.

He will hide his words for a season, And the lips of many will tell forth his understanding.

Seek not things that are too hard for you, And search not out things that are above your strength.

The things that have been commanded you, think thereupon; For you have no need of the things that are secret.

Be not over busy in your superfluous works: For more things are showed to you than men can understand.

For the conceit of many has led them astray; And evil surmising has caused their judgement to slip.

The heart of the prudent will understand a parable; And the ear of a listener is the desire of a wise man.

Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; And be not ashamed concerning your soul.

Refrain not speech, when it tendeth to safety; And hide not your wisdom for the sake of fair-seeming.

For by speech wisdom will be known; And instruction by the word of the tongue.

Be not hasty in your tongue, And in your deeds slack and remiss.

Winnow not with every wind, And walk not in every path: Thus does the sinner that has a double tongue.

Be stedfast in your understanding; And let your word be one.

If you have understanding, answer your neighbor; And if not, let your hand be upon your mouth.

In a great matter and in a small, be not ignorant;

Let those that are at peace with you be many; But your counselors one of a thousand.

If you would get you a friend, get him by proving, And be not in haste to trust him.

For wisdom is according to her name; and she is not manifest to many.

My son, if you will, you shall be instructed; And if you will yield your soul, you will be prudent.

Stand you in the multitude of the elders; And whoso is wise, cleave you to him.

Be willing to listen to every godly discourse; And don’t let the proverbs of understanding escape you.

Jest not with a rude man, Lest your ancestors be dishonored.

Neglect not the discourse of the wise, And be conversant with their proverbs; For of them you will learn instruction, And how to minister to great men.

Rise not up from the presence of an insolent man, Lest he lie in wait as an ambush for your mouth.

Go not in the way with a rash man, Lest he be aggrieved with you; For he will do according to his own will, And you will perish with his folly.

Take not counsel with a fool; For he will not be able to conceal the matter.

Do no secret thing before a stranger; For you know not what he will bring forth.

Open not your heart to every man; And let him not return you a favor.

As well as you can, guess at your neighbors; And take counsel with the wise.

Let your converse be with men of understanding; And let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.

For the hand of the artificers a work will be commended: And he that rules the people will be counted wise for his speech.

A wise judge will instruct his people; And the government of a man of understanding will be well ordered.

It is not right to dishonor a poor man that has understanding; And it is not fitting to glorify a man that is a sinner.

Blame not before you have examined: Understand first, and then rebuke.

Strive not in a matter that concerns you not; And where sinners judge, sit not you with them.

Bring not every man into your house; For many are the plots of the deceitful man.

Take heed of an evil-doer, for he contriveth wicked things; Lest haply he bring upon you blame forever.

Give to the godly man, And help not the sinner.

Give to the good man, And help not the sinner.

A man’s friend will not be fully tried in prosperity; And his enemy will not be hidden in adversity.

Though he humble himself, and go crouching, Yet take good heed, and beware of him, And you will be to him as one that has wiped a mirror, And you will know that he has not utterly rusted it.

Set him not by you, Lest he overthrow you and stand in your place; Let him not sit on your right hand, Lest he seek to take your seat, And at the last you acknowledge my words, And be pricked with my sayings.

And the enemy will speak sweetly with his lips, And in his heart take counsel how to overthrow you into a pit: The enemy will weep with his eyes, And if he find opportunity, he will not be satiated with blood.

Hath he had need of you? then he will deceive you, And smile upon you, and give you hope: He will speak you fair, and say, What need you?

Beware that you be not deceived, and brought low in your mirth.

Affect not to speak with him as an equal, And believe not his many words: For with much talk will he try you, And in a smiling manner will search you out.

Keep them to yourself, and take earnest heed, For you walk in peril of your falling.

What fellowship shall the wolf have with the lamb? So is the sinner to the godly.

Blessed is the man that shall meditate in wisdom, And that shall discourse by his understanding.

For great is the wisdom of the Lord: He is mighty in power, and sees all things;

For from one that has understanding will a city be peopled; But a race of wicked men will be made desolate.

He that is lacking in understanding thinks upon these things; And an unwise and erring man thinks follies.

I will show forth instruction by weight, And declare knowledge exactly.

Counsel, and tongue, and eyes, Ears, and heart, gave he them to understand withal.

He filled them with the knowledge of wisdom, And showed them good and evil.

A fool will upbrade ungraciously; And the gift of an envious man consumes the eyes.

A wise man will fear in everything; And in days of sinning he will beware of offence.

Every man of understanding knows wisdom; And he will give thanks to him that found her.

Wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away: And he that cleaves to harlots will be the more reckless.

Reprove a friend; for many times there is slander: And trust not every word.

And the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom; And the prudence of sinners is not counsel.

There is an exquisite subtlety, and the same is unjust; And there is one that perverteth favor to gain a judgement.

A man will be known by his look, And one that has understanding will be known by his face, when you meet him.

A man’s attire, and grinning laughter, And gait, show what he is.

There is a reproof that is not comely; And there is a man that keeps silence, and he is wise.

There is one that keeps silence, for he has no answer to make; And there is that keeps silence, as knowing his time.

A wise sentence from a fool’s mouth will be rejected; For he will not speak it in its season.

The disposition of a liar is dishonor; And his shame is with him continually.

He that is wise in words will advance himself; And one that is prudent will please great men.

Better is a man that hides his folly Than a man that hides his wisdom.

He that is mighty in tongue is known afar off: But the man of understanding knows when he slips.

He that is not clever will not be instructed; And there is a cleverness which makes bitterness to abound.

The knowledge of a wise man will be made to abound as a flood; And his counsel as a fountain of life.

The inward parts of a fool are like a broken vessel; And he will hold no knowledge.

If a man of knowledge hear a wise word, He will commend it, and add to it: The dissolute man hears it, and it displeases him, And he puts it away behind his back.

The foot of a fool is soon in another man’s house; But a man of experience will be ashamed of entering.

A foolish man peepeth in from the door of another man’s house; But a man that is instructed will stand without.

It is a lack of instruction in a man to listen at the door; But the prudent man will be grieved with the disgrace.

The lips of strangers will be grieved at these things; But the words of prudent men will be weighed in the balance.

Unseasonable discourse is as music in mourning; But stripes and correction are wisdom at every season.

He that discourseth to a fool is as one discoursing to a man that slumbereth; And at the end he will say, What is it?

Talk not much with a foolish man, And go not to one that has no understanding: Beware of him, lest you have trouble; And so you shall not be defiled in his onslaught: Turn away from him, and you will find rest; And so you shall not be wearied in his madness.

Timber girded and bound into a building will not be loosed with shaking: So a heart established in due season on well advised counsel will not be afraid.

A heart settled upon a thoughtful understanding Is as an ornament of plaister on a polished wall.

Who will set scourges over my thought, And a discipline of wisdom over my heart? That they spare me not for my ignorances, And my heart pass not by their sins:

For her thoughts are filled from the sea, And her counsels from the great deep.

How beautiful a thing is judgement for gray hairs, And for elders to know counsel!

Happy is he that has found prudence; And he that discourseth in the ears of those who listen.

Look well after an impudent eye; And marvel not if it trespass against you.

The furnace will prove the potter’s vessels; And the trial of a man is in his reasoning.

Praise no man before you hear him reason; For this is the trial of men.

The discourse of a godly man is always wisdom: But the foolish man changes as the moon.

Among men void of understanding observe the opportunity; But stay continually among the thoughtful.

When you are present, he will speak sweetly, And will admire your words; But afterward he will writhe his mouth, And set a trap for you in your words.

Help your neighbor according to your power, And take heed to yourself that you fall not to the same.

Consider your neighbor’s liking by your own; And be discreet in every point.