1988 verses about Wisdom

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;

But she reaches from one end of the world to the other with full strength, And ordereth all things graciously.

Her I loved and sought out from my youth, And I sought to take her for my bride, And I became enamoured of her beauty.

She glorifieth her noble birth in that it is given her to live with God, And the Sovereign Lord of all loved her.

For she is initiated into the knowledge of God, And she chooseth out for him his works.

But if riches are a desired possession in life, What is richer than wisdom, which works all things?

And if understanding works, Who more than wisdom is an architect of the things that are?

And if a man loves righteousness, The fruits of wisdom’s labor are virtues, For she teaches soberness and understanding, righteousness and courage; And there is nothing in life for men more profitable than these.

And if a man longeth even for much experience, She knows the things of old, and divineth the things to come: She understands subtleties of speeches and interpretations of dark sayings: She foresees signs and wonders, and the issues of seasons and times.

I determined therefore to take her to me to live with me, Knowing that she is one who would give me good thoughts for counsel, And encourage me in cares and grief.

Because of her I will have glory among multitudes, And honor in the sight of elders, though I be young.

I will be found of a quick conceit when I give judgement, And in the presence of princes I will be admired.

When I am silent, they will wait for me; And when I open my lips, they will give heed to me; And if I continue speaking, they will lay their hand upon their mouth.

Because of her I will have immortality, And leave behind an eternal memory to those who come after me.

I will govern peoples, And nations will be subjected to me.

Dread princes will fear me when they hear of me: Among my people I will show myself a good ruler, and in war courageous.

When I am come into my house, I will find rest with her; For converse with her has no bitterness, And to live with her has no pain, but gladness and joy.

When I considered these things in myself, And took thought in my heart how that in kinship to wisdom is immortality,

And in her friendship is good delight, And in the labors of her hands is wealth that fails not, And in assiduous communing with her is understanding, And great renown in having fellowship with her words, I went about seeking how to take her to myself.

Now I was a child of parts, and a good soul fell to my lot;

But perceiving that I could not otherwise possess wisdom except God gave her me (Yes and to know by whom the grace is given, this too came of understanding), I pleaded with the Lord and implored him, and with my whole heart I said,

And by your wisdom you formedst man, That he should have dominion over the creatures that were made by you,

Give me wisdom, her that sits by you on your throne; And reject me not from among your servants:

Because I am your bondman and the son of your handmaid, A man weak and short-lived, And of small power to understand judgement and laws.

For even if a man be perfect among the sons of men, Yet if the wisdom that comes from you be not with him, he will be held in no account.