'Wise' in the Bible

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.

So when morning came his spirit was troubled and disturbed and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them to him.

So now let Pharaoh [prepare ahead and] look for a man discerning and clear-headed and wise, and set him [in charge] over the land of Egypt [as governor under Pharaoh].

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since [your] God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and clear-headed and wise as you are.

Then Pharaoh called for the wise men [skilled in magic and omens] and the sorcerers [skilled in witchcraft], and they also, these magicians (soothsayer-priests) of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts and enchantments.

And all the skilled men who were doing all the work on the sanctuary came, each one from the work which he was doing,

Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, experienced, and respected men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as heads (leaders) over you.’

So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and made them leaders over you, commanders of thousands, and hundreds, and fifties, and tens, and officers (administrators) for your tribes.

So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

“O that they were wise, that they understood this,That they could discern their future and ultimate fate!

“Her wise ladies answered her,Indeed, she repeated her words to herself,

So Joab sent word to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there and told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning clothes, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has for many days been in mourning for the dead.

Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Tell Joab, ‘Come here so that I may speak to you.’”

But now do not let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what to do to him, and you will bring his gray head down to Sheol [covered] with blood.”

behold, I have done as you asked. I have given you a wise and discerning heart (mind), so that no one before you was your equal, nor shall anyone equal to you arise after you.

When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given David a wise son [to be king] over this great people.”

The lot for the east [gates] fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the north [gates].

Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor and advisor, a man of understanding and wisdom, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni attended (tutored) the king’s sons.

Hiram said also, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.

Then the king spoke to the wise men who understood the times [asking for their advice]—for it was the custom of the king to speak before all those who were familiar with law and legal matters—

Then Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise counselors and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall in status, is of Jewish heritage, you will not overcome him, but will certainly fall before him.”

“He catches the [so-called] wise in their own shrewdness,And the advice of the devious is quickly thwarted.

“God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?

“No doubt you are the [only wise] people [in the world],And wisdom will die with you!

“Does the ear not put words to the test,Just as the palate tastes its food [distinguishing between the desirable and the undesirable]?

“Oh, that you would be completely silent,And that silence would be your wisdom!

“Should a wise man [such as you] utter such windy and vain knowledge [as we have just heard]And fill himself with the east wind [of withering, parching, and violent accusations]?

“Were you the first man to be born [the original wise man],Or were you created before the hills?

What wise men have [freely] told,And have not hidden [anything passed on to them] from their fathers,

“But as for all of you, come back again,Even though I do not find a wise man among you.

“Can a vigorous man be of use to God,Or a wise man be useful to himself?

“Those [who are] abundant in years may not [always] be wise,Nor may the elders [always] understand justice.

“You see, I waited for your words,I listened to your [wise] reasons,While you pondered and searched out what to say.

“Hear my words, you wise men,And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.

“Men of understanding will tell me,Indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],

“Men therefore fear Him;He does not regard nor respect any who are wise in heart [in their own understanding and conceit].”

“Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity [since you question the Almighty],And array yourself with honor and majesty.

The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.

The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

For he sees that even wise men die;The fool and the stupid alike perishAnd leave their wealth to others.

Consider thoughtfully, you senseless (stupid ones) among the people;And you [dull-minded] fools, when will you become wise and understand?

Who is wise? Let him observe and heed these things;And [thoughtfully] consider the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Teach me good judgment (discernment) and knowledge,For I have believed and trusted and relied on Your commandments.

To receive instruction in wise behavior and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness,Righteousness, justice, and integrity;

The wise will hear and increase their learning,And the person of understanding will acquire wise counsel and the skill [to steer his course wisely and lead others to the truth],

To understand a proverb and a figure [of speech] or an enigma with its interpretation,And the words of the wise and their riddles [that require reflection].

Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.

The wise will inherit honor and glory,But dishonor and shame is conferred on fools.

That you may exercise discrimination and discretion (good judgment),And your lips may reserve knowledge and answer wisely [to temptation].

Go to the ant, O lazy one;Observe her ways and be wise,

“Heed (pay attention to) instruction and be wise,And do not ignore or neglect it.

Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you;Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser;Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself [for your own benefit];If you scoff [thoughtlessly ridicule and disdain], you alone will pay the penalty.

The proverbs of Solomon:A wise son makes a father glad,But a foolish [stubborn] son [who refuses to learn] is a grief to his mother.

He who gathers during summer and takes advantage of his opportunities is a son who acts wisely,But he who sleeps during harvest and ignores the moment of opportunity is a son who acts shamefully.

The wise in heart [are willing to learn so they] will accept and obey commands (instruction),But the babbling fool [who is arrogant and thinks himself wise] will come to ruin.

Wise men store up and treasure knowledge [in mind and heart],But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm],But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory.

He who troubles (mismanages) his own house will inherit the wind (nothing),And the foolish will be a servant to the wise-hearted.

The fruit of the [consistently] righteous is a tree of life,And he who is wise captures and wins souls [for God—he gathers them for eternity].

The way of the [arrogant] fool [who rejects God’s wisdom] is right in his own eyes,But a wise and prudent man is he who listens to counsel.

There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

A wise son heeds and accepts [and is the result of] his father’s discipline and instruction,But a scoffer does not listen to reprimand and does not learn from his errors.

The teaching of the wise is a fountain and source of life,So that one may avoid the snares of death.

He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise,But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm.

The wise woman builds her house [on a foundation of godly precepts, and her household thrives],But the foolish one [who lacks spiritual insight] tears it down with her own hands [by ignoring godly principles].

In the mouth of the [arrogant] fool [who rejects God] is a rod for his back,But the lips of the wise [when they speak with godly wisdom] will protect them.

A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil,But the fool is arrogant and careless.

The crown of the wise is their wealth [of wisdom],But the foolishness of [closed-minded] fools is [nothing but] folly.

The king’s favor and good will are toward a servant who acts wisely and discreetly,But his anger and wrath are toward him who acts shamefully.

The tongue of the wise speaks knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable,But the [babbling] mouth of fools spouts folly.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge [sifting it as chaff from the grain];But the hearts of [shortsighted] fools are not so.

A scoffer [unlike a wise man] resents one who rebukes him and tries to teach him;Nor will he go to the wise [for counsel and instruction].

A wise son makes a father glad,But a foolish man despises his mother.

The [chosen] path of life leads upward for the wise,That he may keep away from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) below.

The ear that listens to and learns from the life-giving rebuke (reprimand, censure)Will remain among the wise.

The plans and reflections of the heart belong to man,But the [wise] answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

The wrath of a king is like a messenger of death,But a wise man will appease it.

The wise in heart will be called understanding,And sweet speech increases persuasiveness and learning [in both speaker and listener].

The heart of the wise instructs his mouth [in wisdom]And adds persuasiveness to his lips.

A wise servant will rule over the [unworthy] son who acts shamefully and brings disgrace [to the family]And [the worthy servant] will share in the inheritance among the brothers.

Even a [callous, arrogant] fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;When he closes his lips he is regarded as sensible (prudent, discreet) and a man of understanding.

He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire,He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom];The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].

The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge,And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.

House and wealth are the inheritance from fathers,But a wise, understanding, and sensible wife is [a gift and blessing] from the Lord.

Listen to counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction,That you may be wise in the time to come.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler;And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

A wise king sifts out the wicked [from among the good]And drives the [threshing] wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].

When the scoffer is punished, the naive [observes the lesson and] becomes wise;But when the wise and teachable person is instructed, he receives knowledge.

There is precious treasure and oil in the house of the wise [who prepare for the future],But a short-sighted and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.

A wise man scales the city [walls] of the mightyAnd brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

Listen carefully and hear the words of the wise,And apply your mind to my knowledge;

My son, if your heart is wise,My heart will also be glad;

Listen, my son, and be wise,And direct your heart in the way [of the Lord].

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,And he who sires a wise child will have joy in him.

A wise man is strong,And a man of knowledge strengthens his power;

For by wise guidance you can wage your war,And in an abundance of [wise] counselors there is victory and safety.