1013 verses about Seeking

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?

That it might be known that we must rise before the sun to give you thanks, And must plead with you at the dawning of the light:

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

They that fear the Lord will seek his good pleasure; And those who love him will be filled with the law.

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

Wisdom exalts her sons, And takes hold of those who seek her.

He that loves her loves life; And those who seek to her early will be filled with gladness.

Then will she return again the straight way to him, And will gladden him, and reveal to him her secrets.

A faithful friend is a medicine of life; And those who fear the Lord will find him.

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

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.

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

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

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 pries in at her windows Shall also hearken at her doors.

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

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

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

With all these I sought rest; And in whose inheritance shall I lodge?

Come to me, you⌃ that are desirous of me, And be you⌃ filled with my produce.

They that eat me will yet be hungry; And those who drink me will yet be thirsty.

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

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

He that seeks the law shall be filled therewith: But the hypocrite shall stumble thereat.

And above all this entreat the Most High, That he may direct your way in truth.

He will apply his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, And will make supplication before the Most High, And will open his mouth in prayer, And will make supplication for his sins.

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

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 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.

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?

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

And they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord;

and they shall praise me in the land of their captivity, and think upon my name,

Who has found out her place? and who has come into her treasuries?

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;

Who has gone over the sea, and found her, and will bring her for choice gold?

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

Turn you, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk towards her shining in the presence of the light thereof.

For as it was your mind to go astray from God: so, return and seek him ten times more.

But say you⌃ in your hearts, O Lord, we must worship you.

And now we follow you with all our heart, we fear you, and seek your face. Put us not to shame: but deal with us after your kindness, and according to the multitude of your mercy.

In the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him.

Then many that sought after justice and judgement went down into the wilderness, to dwell there,

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

And there were gathered together to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of scribes, to seek for justice.

And the Hasidaeans were the first among the children of Israel that sought peace of them;

Now therefore cry to heaven, that you⌃ may be delivered out of the hand of your enemies.

And they went and consulted with him.

And some of those that followed with him came there that they might mark the way, and could not find it.

And when the king asked Heliodorus, what manner of man was fit to be sent yet once again to Jerusalem, he said,

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

but to speak to our lord the king, to the intent that, if it be your pleasure, search may be made in the books of your fathers:

And the children of Israel that came out of the captivity did eat, even all those who had separated themselves from the abominations of the heathen of the land, and sought the Lord.

And there I vowed a fast for the young men before our Lord, to desire of him a prosperous journey both for us and for our children and cattle that were with us:

For we had said to the king, that the power of our Lord would be with those who seek him, to support them in all ways.

And again we implored our lord as touching these things, and found him favourable to us.

Ezra 10:6, etc. Then Esdras rising from the court of the temple went to the chamber of Jonas the son of Eliasib,

Ask, and you⌃ shall receive: pray for few days to you, that they may be shortened: the kingdom is already prepared for you: watch.

So I asked the angel, and said, What are these, my Lord?

Then said I, Yes my Lord. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to show you three ways, and to set forth three similitudes before you:

Then answered I and said, I beseech you, O Lord, wherefore is the power of understanding given to me?

Then shall it be showed you concerning those things which you desire to see.

Then answered I and said, if I have found favor in your sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore,

Then I prayed, and said, May I live, think you, until that time? or who shall be in those days?

To show you such tokens I have leave; and if you will pray again, and weep as now, and fast seven days, you shall hear yet greater things than these.

And I said, No, Lord: but of very grief have I spoken: for my reins torment me every hour, while I labor to comprehend the way of the Most High, and to seek out part of his judgement.

Then said I, Lord, I beseech you, if I have found favor in your sight, show your servant by whom you visit your creature.

I answered then and said, O Lord that bear rule, If I have found favor in your sight,

I beseech you, show your servant the end of your tokens, whereof you showed me part the last night.

If therefore you will pray yet again, and fast seven days more, I shall yet tell you greater things than these.

And it came to pass after this, that I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfil the three weeks which he told me.

whoso then should desire to go into the sea to look upon it, or to rule it, if he went not through the narrow, how could he come into the broad?

And he said to me, Not only this, but ask the earth, and she shall tell you; entreat her, and she shall declare to you.

I answered then and said, if I have found favor, let me speak before you.

But understand you for yourself, and of such as be like you seek out the glory.

and pray to the Most High continually, then will I come and talk with you.

And I said to her, What aileth you? Tell me.

And every hour and every day these thirty years did I make my prayer to the Most High day and night.

And I said, Because you have forsaken me: yet I did according to your words, and went into the field, and, behold, I have seen, and yet see, that which I am not able to express.

Now therefore I beseech you to show your servant concerning this trance.

Behold, this have you done to me, in that you search out the ways of the Most High.

Therefore will I now beseech the Most High, that he will strengthen me to the end.

And I said, O Lord that bear rule, if I have found favor in your sight, and if I am justified with you above many others, and if my prayer indeed be come up before your face;

strengthen me then, and show me your servant the interpretation and plain meaning of this fearful vision, that you may perfectly comfort my soul.

And it came to pass, when all the people saw that the seven days were past, and I had not come again into the city, they gathered them all together, from the least to the greatest, and came to me, and spoke to me, saying,

As for me, I have not forsaken you, neither am I departed from you: but am come into this place, to pray for the desolation of Sion, and that I might seek mercy for the low estate of your sanctuary.

but I sat in the field seven days, as the angel commanded me; and in those days I did eat only of the flowers of the field, and had my meat of the herbs.

But I sought to see the region or place whereout the mountain was graven, and I could not.