1262 verses about Learning

For if they had power to know so much, That they should be able to explore the course of things, How is it that they did not sooner find the Sovereign Lord of these his works?

For they were bitten, to put them in remembrance of your oracles; And were quickly saved, lest, falling into deep forgetfulness, They should become unable to be roused by your beneficence:

That your sons, whom you loved, O Lord, might learn That it is not the growth of the earth’s fruits that nourishes a man, But that your word preserves those who trust you.

Of that night were our fathers made aware beforehand, That, having sure knowledge, they might be cheered by the oaths which they had trusted:

All wisdom comes from the Lord, And is with him forever.

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

To fear the Lord is the fulness of wisdom; And she satiateth men with her fruits.

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.

If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments, And the Lord will give her to you freely:

For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction; And in faith and meekness is his good pleasure.

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

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

For at the first she will walk with him in crooked ways, And will bring fear and dread upon him, And torment him with her discipline, Until she may trust his soul, and try him by her judgements:

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

Speak not against the truth; And be abashed for your ignorance.

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

My son, gather instruction from your youth up: And even to hoar hairs you will find wisdom.

Come to her as one that plows and sows, And wait for her good fruits; For your toil will be little in the tillage of her, And you will eat of her fruits right soon.

How exceeding harsh is she to the unlearned! And he that is without understanding will not abide in her.

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

Give ear, my son, and accept my judgement, And refuse not my counsel,

And bring your feet into her fetters, And your neck into her chain.

Come to her with all your soul, And keep her ways with your whole power.

Search, and seek, and she will be made known to you; And when you have got hold of her, let her not go.

For at the last you will find her rest; And she will be turned for you into gladness.

And her fetters will be to you for a covering of strength, And her chains for a robe of glory.

You shall put her on as a robe of glory, And shall array you with her as a crown of rejoicing.

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

If you love to hear, you will receive; And if you incline your ear, you will be wise.

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.

If you see a man of understanding, get you betimes to him, And let your foot wear out the steps of his doors.

Let your mind dwell upon the ordinances of the Lord, And meditate continually in his commandments: He will establish your heart, And your desire of wisdom will be given to you.

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.

Miss not the discourse of the aged; For they also learned of their fathers: Because from them you will learn understanding, And to give answer in time of need.

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

An uninstructed king will destroy his people; And a city will be established through the understanding of the powerful.

In the hand of the Lord is the prosperity of a man; And upon the person of the scribe will he lay his honor.

A poor man is glorified for his knowledge; And a rich man is glorified for his riches.

The bee is little among such as fly; And her fruit is the chief of sweetmeats.

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

He that considers her ways in his heart Shall also have knowledge in her secrets.

Go forth after her as one that tracketh, And lie in wait in her ways.

He that lodges close to her house Shall also fasten a nail in her walls.

He shall pitch his tent near at hand to her, And will lodge in a lodging where good things are.

With bread of understanding will she feed him, And give him water of wisdom to drink.

Many such things I have seen with my eyes; And my ear has heard mightier things than these.

My son, hearken to me, and learn knowledge, And give heed to my words with your heart.

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.

He added to them knowledge, And gave them a law of life for a heritage.

When a man has finished, then he is but at the beginning; And when he ceaseth, then will he be in perplexity.

He has mercy on those who accept chastening, And that diligently seek after his judgements.

Learn before you speak; And have a care of your health or ever you be sick.

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

They that were of understanding in sayings became also wise themselves, And poured forth apt proverbs.

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

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.

As a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool; And the knowledge of an unwise man is as talk without sense.

Instruction is as fetters on the feet of an unwise man, And as manacles on the right hand.

Instruction is to a prudent man as an ornament of gold, And as a bracelet upon his right arm.

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.

A father has shame in having begotten an uninstructed son; And a foolish daughter is born to his loss.

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

He that teaches a fool is as one that glues a potsherd together; Even as one that wakes a sleeper out of a deep sleep.

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:

Remember your father and your mother, For you sit in the midst of great men; That you be not forgetful before them, And become a fool by your custom; So will you wish that you had not been born, And curse the day of your nativity.

A man that is accustomed to words of reproach Will not be corrected all the days of his life.

For my memorial is sweeter than honey, And my inheritance than the honeycomb.

It is he that makes wisdom abundant, as Pishon, And as Tigris in the days of new fruits;

That makes understanding full as Euphrates, And as Jordan in the days of harvest;

That makes instruction to shine forth as the light, As Gihon in the days of vintage.

The first man knew her not perfectly; And in like manner the last has not traced her out.

I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, And will make these things to shine forth afar off.

I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, And leave it to generations of ages.

Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, But for all those who diligently seek her.

In your youth you have not gathered, And how should you find in your old age?

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

Much experience is the crown of old men; And their glorying is the fear of the Lord.

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

How great is he that has found wisdom! Yet is there none above him that fears the Lord.

A silent woman is a gift of the Lord; And there is nothing so much worth as a well-instructed soul.

He that chastises his son shall have profit of him, And shall glory of him among his acquaintance.

He that teaches his son shall provoke his enemy to jealousy; And before friends he shall rejoice of him.

Hear me, my son, and despise me not, And at the last you shall find my words true: In all your works be quick, And no disease shall come to you.

Speak, you that are the elder, for it becomes you, but with sound knowledge; And hinder not music.

He that fears the Lord will receive his discipline; And those who seek him early shall find favor.

Prepare your speech, and so shall you be heard; Bind up instruction, and make your answer.

By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished; And he varied seasons and feasts:

Consider that I laboured not for myself alone, But for all those who seek instruction.

A well-instructed man knows many things; And he that has much experience will declare understanding.

He that has no experience knows few things: But he that has wandered shall increase his skill.

In my wandering I have seen many things; And more than my words is my understanding.