1988 verses about Wisdom

Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.

Therefore a prudent person keeps silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.

“Won’t I in that day”, says Yahweh, “destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau?

Yahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.

Now therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies says: Consider your ways.

This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Consider your ways.

and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”

Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”

I asked him the second time, “What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that pour the golden oil out of themselves?”

and Hamath, also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies.

Beware, my child, of all whoredom, and take first a wife of the seed of your fathers. Don’t take a strange wife, who is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the descendants of the prophets. Remember, my child, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our fathers of old time, all took wives of their kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed will inherit the land.

Don’t let the wages of any man who works for you wait with you, but give it to him out of hand. If you serve God, you will be rewarded. Take heed to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be discreet in all your behavior.

Ask counsel of every man who is wise, and don’t despise any counsel that is profitable.

Bless the Lord your God at all times, and ask of him that your ways may be made straight, and that all your paths and counsels may prosper; for every nation has no counsel; but the Lord himself gives all good things, and he humbles whom he will, as he will. And now, my child, remember my commandments, and let them not be blotted out of your mind.

and he didn’t know it. He said to him, “Can I go with you to Rages of Media? Do you know those places well?”

The maid is fair and wise. And now hear me, and I will speak to her father. When we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage; for I know that Raguel may in no way marry her to another according to the law of Moses, or else he would be liable to death, because it belongs to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other.”

It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God. Do good, and evil won’t find you.

Surely I will keep nothing closed from you. I have said, ‘It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God.’

But don’t you pledge the counsels of the Lord our God! For God is not as man, that he should be threatened; neither as the son of man, that he should be turned by entreaty.

For this is not the first day wherein your wisdom is manifested; but from the beginning of your days all the people have known your understanding, because the disposition of your heart is good.

For we have heard of your wisdom and the subtle plans of your soul. It has been reported in all the earth that you only are brave in all the kingdom, mighty in knowledge, and wonderful in feats of war.

Her words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and of all his servants. They marveled at her wisdom, and said,

“There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, for beauty of face and wisdom of words.”

And now you are beautiful in your countenance, and wise in your words. If you will do as you have spoken, your God will be my God, and you will dwell in the house of king Nebuchadnezzar, and will be renowned through the whole earth.”

So Arkesaeus, Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief in rank by the king, drew near to him,

This advice pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Memucan had said,

Let the woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This thing pleased the king; and he did so.

And the matter was discovered by Mordecai, and he made it known to Esther, and she declared to the king the matter of the conspiracy.

Love righteousness, you⌃ that be judges of the earth, Think you⌃ of the Lord with a good mind, And in singleness of heart seek you⌃ him;

Because he is found of those who tempt him not, And is manifested to those who do not distrust him.

For crooked thoughts separate from God; And the supreme Power, when it is brought to the proof, puts to confusion the foolish:

Because wisdom will not enter into a soul that deviseth evil, Nor dwell in a body that is held in pledge by sin.

For a holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit. And will start away from thoughts that are without understanding, And will be put to confusion when unrighteousness has come in.

For wisdom is a spirit that loves man, And she will not hold a blasphemer guiltless for his lips; Because God bears witness of his reins, And is a true overseer of his heart, And a hearer of his tongue:

Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world, And that which holds all things together has knowledge of every voice.

For in the midst of his counsels the ungodly will be searched out; And the sound of his words will come to the Lord To bring to conviction his lawless deeds:

Because there is an ear of jealousy that listens to all things, And the noise of murmurings is not hid.

Beware then of unprofitable murmuring, And refrain your tongue from backbiting; Because no secret utterance will go on its way void, And a mouth that belies destroys a soul.

Court not death in the error of your life; Neither draw upon yourselves destruction by the works of your hands:

He became to us a reproof of our thoughts.

And they knew not the mysteries of God, Neither hoped they for wages of holiness, Nor did they judge that there is a prize for blameless souls.

They that trust on him will understand truth, And the faithful will abide with him in love; Because grace and mercy are to his chosen.

(For he that sets at nothing wisdom and discipline is miserable;) And void is their hope and their toils unprofitable, And useless are their works:

Their wives are foolish, and wicked are their children;

For good labors have fruit of great renown; And the root of understanding can’t fail.

Better than this is childishness with virtue; For in the memory of virtue is immortality: Because it is recognized both before God and before men.

When it is present, men imitate it; And they long after it when it is departed: And throughout all time it marcheth crowned in triumph, Victorious in the strife for the prizes that are undefiled.

(For honorable old age is not that which stands in length of time, Nor is its measure given by number of years:

But understanding is gray hairs to men, And an unspotted life is ripe old age.)

He was caught away, lest wickedness should change his understanding, Or guile deceive his soul.

For the ungodly will see a wise man’s end, And will not understand what the Lord purposed concerning him, And for what he safely kept him:—

Hear therefore, you⌃ kings, and understand; Learn, you⌃ judges of the ends of the earth:

Give ear, you⌃ that have dominion over much people, And make your boast in multitudes of nations.

Because your dominion was given you from the Lord, And your sovereignty from the Most High; Who will search out your works, And will make inquisition of your counsels:

Because being officers of his kingdom you⌃ did not judge aright, Neither kept you⌃ law, nor walked after the counsel of God.

For the Sovereign Lord of all will not refrain himself for any man’s person, Neither will he reverence greatness; Because it is he that made both small and great, And alike he takes thought for all;

But strict is the scrutiny that comes upon the powerful.

To you therefore, O princes, are my words, That you⌃ may learn wisdom and fall not from the right way.

For those who have kept holily the things that are holy will themselves be hallowed; And those who have been taught them will find what to answer;

Set your desire therefore on my words; Long for them, and you⌃ will be trained by their discipline.

Wisdom is radiant and fades not away; And easily is she saw those who love her, And found of those who seek her.

She forestalleth those who desire to know her, making herself first known.

He that rises up early to seek her will have no toil, For he will find her sitting at his gates.

For to think upon her is perfectness of understanding, And he that watches for her sake will quickly be free from care.

Because she goes about, herself seeking those who are worthy of her, And in their paths she appears to them graciously, And in every purpose she meets them.

For her true beginning is desire of discipline; And the care for discipline is love of her;

And love of her is observance of her laws; And to give heed to her laws confirmeth incorruption;

So then desire of wisdom promoteth to a kingdom.

If therefore you⌃ delight in thrones and sceptres, you⌃ princes of peoples, Honor wisdom, that you⌃ may reign forever.

But what wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will declare, And I will not hide mysteries from you; But I will trace her out from the beginning of creation, And bring the knowledge of her into clear light, And I will not pass by the truth;

Neither indeed will I take pining envy for my companion in the way, Because envy will have no fellowship with wisdom.

But a multitude of wise men is salvation to the world, And an understanding king is tranquillity to his people.

Wherefore be disciplined by my words, and thereby will you⌃ profit.

In swaddling clothes was I nursed, and with watchful cares.

For no king had any other first beginning;

For this cause I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and there came to me a spirit of wisdom.

I preferred her before sceptres and thrones, And riches I esteemed nothing in comparison of her.

Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, Because all the gold of the earth in her presence is a little sand, And silver will be accounted as clay before her.

Above health and comeliness I loved her, And I chose to have her rather than light, Because her bright shining is never laid to sleep.

But with her there came to me all good things together, And in her hands innumerable riches:

And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leads them; Though I knew not that she was the mother of them.

As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging; I do not hide her riches.

For she is to men a treasure that fails not, And those who use it obtain friendship with God, Commended to him by the gifts which they through discipline present to him.

But to me may God give to speak with judgement, And to conceive thoughts worthy of what has been given me; Because himself is one that guideth even wisdom and that correcteth the wise.

For in his hand are both we and our words; All understanding, and all acquaintance with various crafts.

For himself gave me an unerring knowledge of the things that are, To know the constitution of the world, and the operation of the elements;

The beginning and end and middle of times, The alternations of the solstices and the changes of seasons,

The circuits of years and the positions of stars;

The natures of living creatures and the ragings of wild beasts, The violences of winds and the thoughts of men, The diversities of plants and the virtues of roots:

All things that are either secret or manifest I learned,

For she that is the architect of all things taught me, even wisdom. For there is in her a spirit quick of understanding, holy, Alone in kind, manifold, Subtil, freely moving, Clear in utterance, unpolluted, Distinct, unharmed, Loving what is good, keen, unhindered,

Beneficent, loving toward man, Stedfast, sure, free from care, All-powerful, all-surveying, And penetrating through all spirits That are quick of understanding, pure, most subtle:

For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; Yes, she pervadeth and penetrateth all things by reason of her pureness.

For she is a breath of the power of God, And a clear effluence of the glory of the Almighty; Therefore can nothing defiled find entrance into her.

For she is an effulgence from everlasting light, And an unspotted mirror of the working of God, And an image of his goodness.

And she, being one, has power to do all things; And remaining in herself, reneweth all things: And from generation to generation passing into holy souls She makes men friends of God and prophets.

For nothing does God love save him that dwells with wisdom.

For she is fairer than the sun, And above all the constellations of the stars: Being compared with light, she is found to be before it;

For to the light of day succeedeth night, But against wisdom evil does not prevail;