Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
Parallel translations
- WEB Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.
- KJV Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
- NKJV Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
- NASB Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
- NLT Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Get wisdom and understanding; do not forget or turn from these words. Wisdom must be deliberately sought and firmly held.
Overview
The repeated imperative 'get wisdom' presents it as a treasure to be actively pursued and never abandoned. Wisdom does not come passively but is acquired through earnest seeking. This anticipates the gospel call to seek and find the wisdom of God in Christ (Matt 7:7; Col 2:3).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Jas 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Prov 3:13–18Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
- 2 Chr 34:2And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
- Prov 1:22–23“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Ps 44:18Our hearts have not turned back; our steps have not strayed from Your path.
- Job 23:11My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.
- Prov 17:16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
- Prov 8:5O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
- Prov 19:8He who acquires wisdom loves himself; one who safeguards understanding will find success.
- Ps 119:51The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn from Your law.
- Prov 2:2–4if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
- Ps 119:157Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies.
- Prov 16:16How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.
- Prov 18:1He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.
- Prov 23:23Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 4:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.