<p class="poetry">in order to safeguard<n id="1" /> discretion,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and that your lips may guard knowledge.p>

<p class="poetry">Have I not written thirty sayings<n id="1" /> for you,p> <p class="poetry">sayings<n id="2" /> of counsel and knowledge,p>

<p class="poetry">I have not learned wisdom,p> <p class="poetry">nor do I have knowledge<n id="1" /> of the Holy One.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">So they say to God, &#8216;Turn away from us!p> <p class="poetry">We do not want to<n id="1" /> know your ways.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">My words come from the uprightness of my heart,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Teach me proper discernment<n id="1" /> and understanding!p> <p class="poetry">For I consider your commands to be reliable.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">then you will understand<n id="1" /> how to fear the <sc>Lord,sc><n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and you will discover<n id="3" /> knowledge<n id="4" /> about God.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">For wisdom will enter your heart,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and moral knowledge<n id="2" /> will be attractive<n id="3" /> to you.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Receive my instruction<n id="1" /> rather than<n id="2" /> silver,p> <p class="poetry">and knowledge rather than choice gold.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I, wisdom, live with prudence,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and I find<n id="2" /> knowledge and discretion.p>

<p class="poetry">The beginning<n id="1" /> of wisdom is to fear the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and acknowledging<n id="3" /> the Holy One<n id="4" /> is understanding.p>

<p class="poetry">The scorner<n id="1" /> seeks wisdom but finds none,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but understanding is easy<n id="3" /> for a discerning person.p>

<p class="poetry">For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice;p> <p class="poetry">I delight<n id="1" /> in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">He is your constant source of stability;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he gives all this to those who fear him.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">So I decided<n id="1" /> to discern the benefit of<n id="2" /> wisdom and knowledge over<n id="3" /> foolish behavior and ideas;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">however, I concluded<n id="5" /> that even<n id="6" /> this endeavor<n id="7" /> is like<n id="8" /> trying to chase the wind!<n id="9" />p>

<p class="poetry">Whatever you find to do with your hands,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">do it with all your might,p> <p class="poetry">because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the place where you will eventually go.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I thought to myself,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I have become much wiser<n id="2" /> than any of my predecessors who ruled<n id="3" /> over Jerusalem;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">I<n id="5" /> have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.&#8221;<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">For to the one who pleases him,<n id="1" /> God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,p> <p class="poetry">but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing<n id="2" /> wealth<n id="3" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">only to give<n id="4" /> it<n id="5" /> to the one who pleases God.p> <p class="poetry">This<n id="6" /> task of the wicked<n id="7" /> is futile &#8211; like chasing the wind!p>

<p class="poetry">They seek me day after day;p> <p class="poetry">they want to know my requirements,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">like a nation that does what is rightp> <p class="poetry">and does not reject the law of their God.p> <p class="poetry">They ask me for just decrees;p> <p class="poetry">they want to be near God.p>