Proverbs 8

In this chapter, we see some general thoughts about wisdom and some pointers to help you discern between what is wisdom and what isn’t.

1 Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice?

2 On top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, at the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

4 “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.

5 “O naive ones, understand prudence; and, O fools, understand wisdom.

Don’t think that wisdom doesn’t want to reside in you, or that you are one unlucky person because wisdom doesn’t want to have anything to do with you. It is not like that at all. The greater your need for wisdom, the more wisdom wants to be with you.

6 “Listen, for I will speak noble things; and the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

7 “For my mouth will utter truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 “All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; where is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

9 “They are all straightforward to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

Wisdom is not mysterious but straightforward.

Wisdom is not falsehood or crooked or perverted but truthful and noble and right.

By these principles you can distinguish between what is wisdom and what is not. For example, if someone tries to convince you that it is wise to behave crookedly with your neighbor, you can know immediately that it is not wise because wisdom is never crooked.

10 “Take my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than choicest gold.

11 “For wisdom is better than jewels; and all desirable things cannot compare with her.

Wisdom is more valuable than money. People with lots of money sometimes behave very foolishly, and soon lose all their money. But people with wisdom know how to earn money righteously and keep that money. Therefore, if you have to choose between wisdom and money, choose wisdom.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

That which is prudent is also wise. A prudent person gives thought to the future. A prudent person avoids evil when he can. A wise person does the same thing.

A wise person finds knowledge. He tries to understand how things work.

A wise person shows discretion. Discretion involves operating in a way such that you avoid giving offense and making enemies when you can. Discretion also involves keeping private information private, and not disclosing everything to everyone who asks. Sometimes, people misuse information, and use information they gathered from you to attack you.

Prudence, knowledge and discretion are all components of wisdom.

13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate.

God hates evil. If you want to be wise, you must align yourself with God; therefore, you too must hate evil.

If you see pride in yourself, you must eliminate it. Learn to give credit to God for your successes.

If you see arrogance in yourself, you must eliminate it. Learn to not consider yourself better than you actually are.

If you see any evil way in yourself, you must eliminate it. Learn to wish the best for others, and help them rather than trouble them.

If you see a perverted mouth in yourself, you must eliminate it. Learn to control your tongue.

14 “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

A wise person considers the thoughts and opinions of those around him, especially those who are also wise.

A wise person seeks to understand why people do things and what their underlying motives are.

A wise person understands what power is and learns how to accumulate power so that he can use it to move the situation one way or the other to ensure that the right thing is done.

15 “by me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.

16 “by me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly.

People who are in charge must have wisdom to do a good job. They have power, but when that power is not coupled with wisdom then they can cause much damage to the cause of the righteous.

17 “I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me.

Wisdom loves those who love wisdom. If you want wisdom, you must love wisdom, and you must seek wisdom. Wisdom will not come to you accidentally.

18 “Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.

19 “My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, and my yield better than choicest silver.

20 “I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice,

21 To endow those who love me with wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.

Wisdom is more valuable than wealth, but it is not against wealth.

Wisdom brings wealth without resorting to what is wrong. If you are accumulating wealth unscrupulously then you are not operating wisely.

Wisdom helps you to retain wealth.

22 “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old.

23 “From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

24 “When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 “Before the mountains were settled, before the hills I was brought forth;

26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, nor the first dust of the world.

27 “When He established the heavens, I was there, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

28 When He made firm the skies above, when the springs of the deep became fixed,

29 When He set for the sea its boundary so that the water would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth;

30 Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him,

31 Rejoicing in the world, His earth, and having my delight in the sons of men.

Wisdom is a universal thing. It is not merely for men. Angels need it too. Even God uses wisdom in everything He does. Everything in the universe was planned and designed carefully, even before God began to create the universe. A lot of thought was put into it. There is an element of planning and thinking that are part of wisdom. When you want to go and accomplish something, you don’t just start doing it. You must think and plan and apply knowledge and understanding before you go out and start doing it.

32 “Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are they who keep my ways.

33 “Heed instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

34 “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts.

35 “For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD.

36 “but he who sins against me injures himself; all those who hate me love death.”

You have got to make wisdom your friend. You have to do things that will make wisdom want to dwell with you. If wisdom is your friend and comes to stay with you, you stand to benefit greatly. So then, don’t do anything that will cause wisdom to part ways with you.