1988 verses about Wisdom

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.

I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:

The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.

“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

the ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

The words of king Lemuel; the revelation which his mother taught him.

Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’

Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.

She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue.

“Many women do noble things, but you excel them all.”

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new?” It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”

I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.

Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don’t withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come out of them all.

Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; but it was far from me.

That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.

“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find out the scheme;

which my soul still seeks; but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand; but I have not found a woman among all those.

Behold, I have only found this: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes.”

Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Don’t be hasty to go out of his presence. Don’t persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,

Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.

For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes),

then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.

Yes also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.

Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?