1988 verses about Wisdom

Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:

that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.

For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,

Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.

Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,

lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one;

and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!

I have come to the brink of utter ruin, among the gathered assembly.”

Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?

He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.

Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?

Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,

that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

“To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice;

“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.

Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;

When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.

Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh.

Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.

She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

“Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!

Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”

He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.

Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it.

The foolish woman is loud, undisciplined, and knows nothing.

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.

One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.

The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.

He is in the way of life who heeds correction, but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.

The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility comes wisdom.

The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.

Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it, but he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

A gracious woman obtains honor, but violent men obtain riches.

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.