Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
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.
- BSB Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
- NKJV Get wisdom! Get 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 1:5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
- Prov 3:13–18Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
- 2 Chr 34:2He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- Prov 1:22–23“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
- Ps 44:18Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
- Job 23:11My foot has held fast to his steps. I have kept his way, and not turned aside.
- Prov 17:16Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?
- Prov 8:5You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.
- Prov 19:8He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.
- Ps 119:51The arrogant mock me excessively, but I don’t swerve from your law.
- Prov 2:2–4So as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
- Ps 119:157Many are my persecutors and my adversaries. I haven’t swerved from your testimonies.
- Prov 16:16How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
- Prov 18:1An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
- Prov 23:23Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, 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.