1262 verses about Learning

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.

A froward heart will cause heaviness: And a man of experience will recompense him.

There is one that is shrewd and the instructor of many, And yet is unprofitable to his own soul.

A wise man will instruct his own people; And the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.

And he gave men skill, That they might be glorified in his marvelous works.

The wisdom of the scribe comes by opportunity of leisure; And he that has little business shall become wise.

How shall he become wise that holds the plow, That glories in the shaft of the goad, That drives oxen, and is occupied in their labors, And whose discourse is of the stock of bulls?

They shall not be sought for in the council of the people, And in the assembly they shall not mount on high; They shall not sit on the seat of the judge, And they shall not understand the covenant of judgement: Neither shall they declare instruction and judgement; And where parables are they shall not be found.

Not so he that has applied his soul, And meditateth in the law of the Most High; He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, And will be occupied in prophecies.

He will keep the discourse of the men of renown, And will enter in amidst the subtleties of parables.

He will seek out the hidden meaning of proverbs, And be conversant in the dark sayings of parables.

He will serve among great men, And appear before him that rules: He will travel through the land of strange nations; For he has tried good things and evil among men.

If the great Lord will, He shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: He shall pour forth the words of his wisdom, And in prayer give thanks to the Lord.

He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, And in his secrets shall he meditate.

He shall show forth the instruction which he has been taught, And shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

Many shall commend his understanding; And so long as the world endures, it shall not be blotted out: His memorial shall not depart, And his name shall live from generation to generation.

Yet more will I utter, which I have thought upon; And I am filled as the moon at the full.

Hearken to me, you⌃ holy children, And bud forth as a rose growing by a brook of water:

Wine and music rejoice the heart; And the love of wisdom is above both.

Be not ashamed to instruct the unwise and foolish, And one of extreme old age that contends with those that are young; And so shall you be well instructed indeed, And approved in the sight of every man living.

I will make mention now of the works of the Lord, And will declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.

Leaders of the people by their counsels, And by their understanding men of learning for the people; Wise were their words in their instruction:

He made him to hear his voice, And led him into the thick darkness, And gave him commandments face to face, Even the law of life and knowledge, That he might teach Jacob the covenant, And Israel his judgments.

He gave to him in his commandments, Yes, authority in the covenants of judgements, To teach Jacob the testimonies, And to enlighten Israel in his law.

How wise was you made in your youth, And filled as a river with understanding!

For your songs and proverbs and parables, And for your interpretations, the countries marveled at you.

I have written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge, I Jesus, the son of Sirach Eleazar, of Jerusalem, Who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.

Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things; And he that lays them up in his heart shall become wise.

When I was yet young, Or ever I went abroad, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

Before the temple I asked for her, And I will seek her out even to the end.

From her flower as from the ripening grape my heart delighted in her: My foot trod in uprightness, From my youth I tracked her out.

I bowed down my ear a little, and received her, And found for myself much instruction.

I profited in her: To him that gives me wisdom I will give glory.

For I purposed to practice her, And I was zealous for that which is good; And I shall never be put to shame.

My soul has wrestled in her, And in my doing I was exact: I spread forth my hands to the heaven above, And bewailed my ignorances of her.

I set my soul aright to her, And in pureness I found her. I got me a heart joined with her from the beginning: Therefore shall I not be forsaken.

My inward part also was troubled to seek her: Therefore I have gotten a good possession.

The Lord gave me a tongue for my reward; And I will praise him therewith.

Draw near to me, you⌃ unlearned, And lodge in the house of instruction.

Say, wherefore are you⌃ lacking in these things, And your souls are very thirsty?

I opened my mouth, and spoke, Get her for yourselves without money.

Put your neck under the yoke, And let your soul receive instruction: She is hard at hand to find.

Behold with your eyes, How that I laboured but a little, And found for myself much rest.

Get you instruction with a great sum of silver, And gain much gold by her.

You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom.

Learn where is wisdom, where is strength, where is understanding; that you may know also where is length of days, and life, where is the light of the eyes, and peace.

Younger men have seen the light, and lived upon the earth: but the way of knowledge have they not known,

neither understood they the paths thereof: neither have their children laid hold of it: they are far off from their way.

The sons also of Agar that seek understanding, which are in the land, the merchants of Merran and Teman, and the authors of fables, and the searchers out of understanding; none of these have known the way of wisdom, or remembered her paths.

God didn’t choose these, nor did he give the way of knowledge to them;

There is none that knows her way, nor any that comprehendeth her path.

He has found out all the way of knowledge, and has given it to Jacob his servant, and to Israel that is beloved of him.

O Israel, happy are we: for the things that are pleasing to God are made known to us.

Her parents also were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.

And call to remembrance the deeds of our fathers which they did in their generations; and receive great glory and an everlasting name.

and laid open the book of the law, concerning which the Gentiles were wont to inquire, seeking the likenesses of their idols.

and they were read before the congregation at Jerusalem.

And the same things were related both in the public archives and in the records that concern Nehemiah; and how he, founding a library, gathered together the books about the kings and prophets, and the books of David, and letters of kings about sacred gifts.

these things, I say, which have been declared by Jason of Cyrene in five books, we will assay to abridge in one work.

For having in view the confused mass of the numbers, and the difficulty which awaits those who would enter into the narratives of the history, by reason of the abundance of the matter,

we were careful that they who choose to read may be attracted, and that they who wish well to our cause may find it easy to recall what we have written, and that all readers may have profit.

And although to us, who have taken upon us the painful labor of the abridgement, the task is not easy, but a matter of sweat and watching

leaving to the historian the exact handling of every particular, and again having no strength to fill in the outlines of our abridgement.

To occupy the ground, and to indulge in long discussions, and to be curious in particulars, becomes the first author of the history:

but to strive after brevity of expression, and to avoid a laboured fulness in the treatment, is to be granted to him that would bring a writing into a new form.

Here then let us begin the narration, only adding thus much to that which has been already said; for it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue to the history, and to abridge the history itself.

Howbeit let this that we have spoken suffice to put you in remembrance; but after these few words we must come to the narrative.

Hereupon therefore he began in great part to cease from his arrogancy, being broken in spirit, and to come to knowledge under the scourge of God, his pains increasing every moment.

Wherefore send some with speed, that we also may learn what is your mind.

And if I have written well and to the point in my story, this is what I myself desired; but if meanly and indifferently, this is all I could attain to.

And he said, Call the young men, and they shall explain their own sentences. So they were called, and came in.

Therefore, to the intent that we might give knowledge to you by writing who were the chief doers, we questioned them, and we required of them the names in writing of their principal men.

And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the other that were of the captivity, that were added to them, did according to the things written in the book of Moses.

This Esdras went up from Babylon, as being a ready scribe in the law of Moses, that was given by the God of Israel.

For Esdras had very great skill, so that he omitted nothing of the law and commandments of the Lord, but taught all Israel the ordinances and judgments.

And you, Esdras, according to the wisdom of God ordain judges and justices, that they may judge in all Syria and Phoenicia all those that know the law of your God; and those that know it not you shall teach.

And by the mighty hand of our Lord they brought to us men of understanding of the sons of Mooli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, Asebebias, and his sons, and his kindred, who were eighteen,