A blessing of wisdom
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My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
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For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.
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Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
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And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before God and men.
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Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
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In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
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I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
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For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
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Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
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And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
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My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
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For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
Wisdom is more valuable than riches
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Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
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The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
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She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
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Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
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Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
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She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
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The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
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By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
The ways of the wise
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My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
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And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
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Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
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If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
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Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
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For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
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Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
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Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
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Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
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Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
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Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
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For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
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Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
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He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
35
The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.