Proverbs 8:9

8:9 All of them are clear ¹  to the discerning

and upright to those who find knowledge.

Proverbs 17:24

17:24 Wisdom is directly in front of ²  the discerning person,

but the eyes of a fool run ³  to the ends of the earth. ⁴ 

Psalms 119:18

119:18 Open ⁵  my eyes so I can truly see ⁶ 

the marvelous things in your law!

Psalms 119:98-100

119:98 Your commandments ⁷  make me wiser than my enemies,

for I am always aware of them.

119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your rules.

119:100 I am more discerning than those older than I,

for I observe your precepts.

Matthew 13:11-12

13:11 He replied, ⁸  “You have been given ⁹  the opportunity to know ¹⁰  the secrets ¹¹  of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. 13:12 For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ¹² 

James 1:5

1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.

¹ tn Heb “front of.” Describing the sayings as “right in front” means they are open, obvious, and clear, as opposed to words that might be twisted or perverse. The parallel word “upright” means “straight, smooth, right.” Wisdom’s teachings are in plain view and intelligible for those who find knowledge.

² tn The verse begins with אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין (’et-pÿni mevin), “before the discerning” or “the face of the discerning.” The particle אֶת here is simply drawing emphasis to the predicate (IBHS 182-83 §10.3.2b). Cf. NIV “A discerning man keeps wisdom in view.”

³ tn The term “run” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for the sake of clarification.

⁴ sn To say that “the eyes of the fool run to the ends of the earth” means that he has no power to concentrate and cannot focus his attention on anything. The language is hyperbolic. Cf. NCV “the mind of a fool wanders everywhere.”

⁵ tn Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל (gal) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה (galah, see GKC 214 §75.cc).

⁶ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

⁷ tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The Lord’s “command” refers here to the law (see Ps 19:8).

⁸ tn Grk “And answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁹ tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).

¹⁰ tn Grk “to you it has been given to know.” The dative pronoun occurs first, in emphatic position in the Greek text, although this position is awkward in contemporary English.

¹¹ tn Grk “the mysteries.”

¹² sn What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.