King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 11 notes
1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Again, very strong emphasis must be laid on deliberately keeping the law.
2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Obviously, something this valuable should not come easy and on the surface.
One must search deep.
3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
So that is it. Acknowledge him in all you do, so you are directed thus.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Wisdom in building the kingdom of God. He is faithful.
11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
All that can be desired cannot be compared to her. If that is the case, then any wise person will choose her over everything else. Any wise person will choose her first — ensure she is firmly in his grips and he in hers before going for any other thing.
Though from the sound of things, by the time you get wisdom, you will have riches and every precious thing, so then why would you risk letting her go for other things?
She is the first and the principal thing. She is the foundation of all things desirable.
16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
Again, the infinite benefit of wisdom is being released to us-ward.
19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
Aside moral uprightness and guidance for a good and peaceful life,
wisdom is found in creativity... Creativity requires wisdom, and it's demonstrated by God in his creation of the earth 🌎 by his wisdom.
The heavens by his understanding, and the beautiful things in the heavens and the earth by knowledge.
20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
How invaluable wisdom is; we are instructed to never let it out of our eyes.
22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Here we are given some nuggets of wisdom.
32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
We must therefore be wary of the company of wicked men; who knows, we may be courting with a cursed 🤬 man 👨
34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
So a man glorified of God is a man of wisdom.