The Blessings of Wisdom
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Does not a wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
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She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
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She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
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"To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
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O you simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
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Listen, for I will speak of b excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
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For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
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All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
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They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
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Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
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c For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
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"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
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d The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
e Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And f the perverse mouth I hate.
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Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, g I have strength.
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h By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
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By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of the earth.
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i I love those who love me,
And j those who seek me diligently will find me.
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k Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
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My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
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I traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
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That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
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"The l LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
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m I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
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When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
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n Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
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While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
Or the primal dust of the world.
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When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
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When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
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o When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When p He marked out the foundations of the earth,
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q Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
r And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
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Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And s my delight was with the sons of men.
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"Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For t blessed are those who keep my ways.
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Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
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u Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
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For whoever finds me finds life,
And v obtains favor from the LORD;
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But he who sins against me w wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death."
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Cross References
Proverbs 1:20
Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
Proverbs 1:21
She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:
Proverbs 9:3
She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city.
1 Corinthians 1:24
But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
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Cross References
Proverbs 22:20
Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge.
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Cross References
Job 28:15
It cannot be purchased for gold, Nor can silver...
Psalms 19:10
More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, tha...
Psalms 119:127
Therefore I love Your commandments More than go...
Proverbs 3:14
For her proceeds are better than the profits of...
Proverbs 3:15
She is more precious than rubies, And all the t...
Proverbs 4:5
Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, n...
Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wi...
Proverbs 16:16
How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to...
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
Proverbs 16:6
In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 2:3
Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
Proverbs 16:17
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Isaiah 13:11
I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
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Cross References
Proverbs 4:24
Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 7:19
Wisdom strengthens the wise More than ten rulers of the city.
Ecclesiastes 9:16
Then I said: "Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard.
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Cross References
2 Chronicles 1:10
"Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?"
Proverbs 29:4
The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
Daniel 2:21
And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Romans 13:1
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 2:30
Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
Psalms 91:14
Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
Proverbs 4:6
Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
John 14:21
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
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Cross References
Proverbs 2:4
If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures.
Proverbs 2:5
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.
John 7:37
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:16
Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
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Cross References
Job 28:26 - 28
When He made a law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt.
Psalms 104:24
O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions -
Proverbs 3:19
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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Cross References
Psalms 2:6
"Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion."
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Cross References
Job 15:7
Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?
Job 15:8
Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
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Cross References
Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the waters under the heaven...
Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gath...
Job 38:8 - 11
Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burs...
Psalms 33:7
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a ...
Psalms 104:9
You have set a boundary that they may not pass ...
Jeremiah 5:22
Do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Will you n...
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Cross References
Job 28:4
He breaks open a shaft away from people; In places forgotten by feet They hang far away from men; They swing to and fro.
Job 28:6
Its stones are the source of sapphires, And it contains gold dust.
Psalms 104:5
You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever.
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Cross References
John 1:1 - 3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:18
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
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Cross References
Matthew 3:17
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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Cross References
Psalms 16:3
As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
John 13:1
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
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Cross References
Psalms 119:1
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD!
Psalms 119:2
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!
Psalms 128:1
Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.
Luke 11:28
But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:13
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding.
Proverbs 3:18
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:4
And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 12:2
A good man obtains favor from the LORD, But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.
John 17:3
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
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Cross References
Proverbs 20:2
The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.