| For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. | For the Lord himself is the one who bestows wisdom; from his mouth come forth knowledge and understanding. |
| Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. | Therefore, take care to live as intelligent people, and do not be like those who are senseless. Make the most of the present time, for this is a wicked age. |
|
| If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. | If someone among you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault, and it will be given to him. |
| But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. | However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, and considerate, full of mercy and good fruits, without any trace of partiality or hypocrisy. |
| How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! | It is better to acquire wisdom rather than gold, and more desirable to acquire understanding rather than silver. |
| Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. | Do not assert that the past was better than the present, for such a statement is not a sign of wisdom. |
| Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. | Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all. |
| Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. | An ignorant man causes strife by his insolence, but wisdom is found with those who take advice. |
| The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. | Whoever gains wisdom loves his own soul; one who cherishes understanding will prosper. |
| Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. | Let no one delude himself. If anyone among you considers himself to be wise by worldly standards, he must become a fool in order to be truly wise. |
| Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. | He who guards his mouth makes his life secure, but one who talks excessively ensures his own downfall. |
| Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. | Who among you is wise and understanding? Prove by your good life that your works are done with the humility that comes from wisdom. |
| Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. | Teach us to comprehend how few our days are so that our hearts may be filled with wisdom. |
| Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. | Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts in accordance with them will be like a wise man who constructed his house on a rock foundation. |
| When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. | When pride is nurtured, disgrace soon follows, but wisdom is the hallmark of the humble. |
| Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor. | The fear of the Lord provides instruction in wisdom, and to be humble is the way to honor. |
| For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. | For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. |
| “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. | For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. |
| Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. | A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only delights in expressing his own opinions. |
| I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. | I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know him. |
| The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. | A wise man will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to grief. |
| The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. | The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom, and no matter what the cost, acquire understanding. |
| All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent. | All this knowledge comes from the Lord of hosts whose counsel is wonderful and whose wisdom is great. |
| Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. | Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, the Creator of the earth’s farthest boundaries. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding cannot be scrutinized. |
| I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king. | To you, O God of my fathers, I offer thanks and praise because you have given me wisdom and power. Now you have made known to me what we asked of you; you have revealed to us the king’s dream. |
