I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. | I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. |
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom. | This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom. |
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Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise. | By insolence the heedless make strife, but wisdom is with those who take advice. |
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. | Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. |
For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help. I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy. | Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper. The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. |
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. | Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. |
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded. | To you, O God of my ancestors, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and power, and have now revealed to me what we asked of you, for you have revealed to us what the king ordered. |
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. | But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. |
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. | Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. |
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. | In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. |
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. | Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. |
For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. | I cried aloud to him, and he was extolled with my tongue. |
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. | He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly. |
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. | Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. |
The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! | When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes? |
You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. | You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me; your help has made me great. You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. |
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. | The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. |
O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. | For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you. |
From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer. | Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! |
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. | When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. |
As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. | But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. |
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. | Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. |
Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest— a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. | Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not hold your peace at my tears. For I am your passing guest, an alien, like all my forebears. |
First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. | Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need. |
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. | Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist. |