1570 verses about Understanding

He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

Look this, we have searched it, so it is. Hear it, and know it for your good.”

“Teach me, and I will hold my peace. Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)

Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?

Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him. He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.

Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?

“Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

They are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know?

Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey’s colt.

Then Job answered,

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

Who doesn’t know that in all these, Yahweh’s hand has done this,

Doesn’t the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.

What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.

Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

What do you know, that we don’t know? What do you understand, which is not in us?

With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much elder than your father.

“I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare

For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you shall not exalt them.

“How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and afterwards we will speak.

I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.

“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?

Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,

Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would tell me.

How have you counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!

To whom have you uttered words? Whose spirit came out of you?

He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

I will teach you about the hand of God. That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.

He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.

He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

“But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?

The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’

No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?

Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.

Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

“God understands its way, and he knows its place.

For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.

then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.

To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”

Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered, “I am young, and you are very old; Therefore I held back, and didn’t dare show you my opinion.

I said, ‘Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

It is not the great who are wise, nor the aged who understand justice.

Therefore I said, ‘Listen to me; I also will show my opinion.’

“Behold, I waited for your words, and I listened for your reasoning, while you searched out what to say.

Yes, I gave you my full attention, but there was no one who convinced Job, or who answered his words, among you.

for he has not directed his words against me; neither will I answer him with your speeches.

“They are amazed. They answer no more. They don’t have a word to say.

Shall I wait, because they don’t speak, because they stand still, and answer no more?

I also will answer my part, and I also will show my opinion.

For I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains me.

If you can, answer me. Set your words in order before me, and stand up.

For God speaks once, yes twice, though man pays no attention.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumbering on the bed;

Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,

“If there is beside him an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man what is right for him;

Mark well, Job, and listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will speak.

If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify you.

If not, listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Moreover Elihu answered,

“Hear my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

“If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.

Teach me that which I don’t see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:

‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’

I will answer you, and your companions with you.

who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’

For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.

He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.

Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?

Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.

Yes, can any understand the spreading of the clouds, and the thunderings of his pavilion?

God thunders marvelously with his voice. He does great things, which we can’t comprehend.

Do you know how God controls them, and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?

Do you know the workings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?

Teach us what we shall tell him, for we can’t make our case by reason of darkness.

Will it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

“Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.