Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”
- KJV Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
- NKJV Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.
- NASB “Abandon your foolishness and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.”
- NLT Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.”
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
Wisdom calls hearers to leave their simple ways, live, and walk in understanding. Forsaking folly and following wisdom leads to life.
Overview
Wisdom's invitation requires a decisive break: abandon the path of folly and embrace the way of understanding. The promise attached is 'live'—genuine, flourishing life. This call to turn and change direction anticipates the gospel summons to repent of sin and walk in newness of life in Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 13:20He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
- Prov 4:11I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
- Luke 13:24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
- 2 Cor 6:17“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
- Ps 26:4–6I do not sit with deceitful men, nor keep company with hypocrites.
- Ps 119:115Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God.
- Prov 8:35For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
- Rev 18:4Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.
- Acts 2:40With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”
- Matt 7:13–14Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
- Prov 9:11For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
- Ps 45:10Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house,
- Prov 4:14–15Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
- Prov 10:17Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 9:6 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.