APPLY YOUR HEART TO LEARN WISDOM
Key verse: 17
NIV
Thirty Sayings of the WiseSaying 1
17 Pay attention(A) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(B)
apply your heart to what I teach,(C)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(D)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor(E) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(F)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(G)
and will exact life for life.(H)
Saying 3
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.(I)
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(J)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(K)
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(L)
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
17 Pay attention(A) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(B)
apply your heart to what I teach,(C)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(D)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
22 Do not exploit the poor(E) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(F)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(G)
and will exact life for life.(H)
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.(I)
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(J)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(K)
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(L)
set up by your ancestors.
Cross references
- Proverbs 22:17 : S Pr 1:8
- Proverbs 22:17 : S Pr 1:6; 30:1; 31:1
- Proverbs 22:17 : S Pr 2:2
- Proverbs 22:21 : Ecc 12:10
- Proverbs 22:22 : S Lev 25:17; S Job 5:16
- Proverbs 22:22 : S Ex 23:6
- Proverbs 22:23 : S Job 29:16; Ps 140:12
- Proverbs 22:23 : Est 8:1; S 9:1; Pr 23:10-11
- Proverbs 22:25 : 1Co 15:33
- Proverbs 22:26 : Pr 6:1-5
- Proverbs 22:27 : S Pr 11:15; S 17:18
- Proverbs 22:28 : S Dt 19:14
- Proverbs 22:29 : S 1Ki 11:28
- Proverbs 22:29 : S Ge 41:46
- Proverbs 22:29 : S Ge 39:4
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Words of the Wise
17 (A)Incline your ear, and hear (B)the words of the wise,
(C)and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you (D)thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (E)make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 (F)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or (G)crush the afflicted at (H)the gate,
23 for (I)the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who (J)give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should (K)your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient (L)landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will (M)stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
Cross references
- Proverbs 22:17 : ch. 5:1
- Proverbs 22:17 : ch. 1:6; 24:23
- Proverbs 22:17 : [ch. 23:12]
- Proverbs 22:20 : ch. 8:6
- Proverbs 22:21 : [Luke 1:3, 4]
- Proverbs 22:22 : [Ex. 23:6; Zech. 7:10; Mal. 3:5]
- Proverbs 22:22 : See Job 5:4
- Proverbs 22:22 : Job 31:21
- Proverbs 22:23 : ch. 23:11; 1 Sam. 25:39; Ps. 12:5; 35:10; 68:5; 140:12; Jer. 51:36
- Proverbs 22:26 : See Job 17:3
- Proverbs 22:27 : [ch. 20:16; Ex. 22:26]
- Proverbs 22:28 : ch. 23:10; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Job 24:2; Hos. 5:10
- Proverbs 22:29 : 1 Kgs. 10:8; See Gen. 41:46
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Solomon invites us to receive God’s wisdom through 30 wise sayings. We should apply our hearts to learn wisdom and be teachable. These sayings are reflected in Christ’s teachings and life. We should fix our eyes upon Jesus and put our trust in him as we struggle to live wisely (19).
We should always treat the poor fairly. We must not look down on them or rob them, but instead befriend them and show them God’s love. God is the defender of us all, whether rich or poor.
We should not learn from an angry man, as his habits will influence ours. We should also not bear responsibility for the debt of others.
We should respect property boundaries and not take advantage of others. We should excel in what we do, and it will be noticed all the way to the top.
Prayer: Father, please open our hearts to receive your wisdom. Help us to trust in the Lord as we struggle to apply your wisdom.
One Word: Open our hearts to the Lord.