'Understanding' in the Bible

To know [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction;To discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight,

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],

So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom,And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];

Yes, if you cry out for insight,And lift up your voice for understanding;

For the Lord gives [skillful and godly] wisdom;From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Discretion will watch over you,Understanding and discernment will guard you,

To keep you from the immoral woman;From the seductress with her flattering words,

So find favor and high esteemIn the sight of God and man.

Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heartAnd do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

Happy [blessed, considered fortunate, to be admired] is the man who finds [skillful and godly] wisdom,And the man who gains understanding and insight [learning from God’s word and life’s experiences],

The Lord by His wisdom has founded the earth;By His understanding He has established the heavens.

“Get [skillful and godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]!Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

“The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]!And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation].

My son, be attentive to my wisdom [godly wisdom learned by costly experience],Incline your ear to my understanding;

But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks common sense and sound judgment and an understanding [of moral principles];He who would destroy his soul does it.

Say to [skillful and godly] wisdom, “You are my sister,”And regard understanding and intelligent insight as your intimate friends;

Does not wisdom call,And understanding lift up her voice?

“O you naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled], understand prudence and seek astute common sense;And, O you [closed-minded, self-confident] fools, understand wisdom [seek the insight and self-discipline that leads to godly living].

“Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;I am understanding, power and strength are mine.

“Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!”As for him who lacks understanding, she says,

“Leave [behind] your foolishness [and the foolish] and live,And walk in the way of insight and understanding.”

The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence],And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.

“Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!”And to him who lacks understanding (common sense), she says,

On the lips of the discerning, [skillful and godly] wisdom is found,But discipline and the rod are for the back of the one who is without common sense and understanding.

The lips of the righteous feed and guide many,But fools [who reject God and His wisdom] die for lack of understanding.

Engaging in evil is like sport to the fool [who refuses wisdom and chases sin],But to a man of understanding [skillful and godly] wisdom brings joy.

He who despises his neighbor lacks sense,But a man of understanding keeps silent.

He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,But he who follows worthless things lacks common sense and good judgment.

Good understanding wins favor [from others],But the way of the unfaithful is hard [like barren, dry soil].

He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control],But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].

Wisdom rests [silently] in the heart of one who has understanding,But what is in the heart of [shortsighted] fools is made known.

The mind of the intelligent and discerning seeks knowledge and eagerly inquires after it,But the mouth of the [stubborn] fool feeds on foolishness.

Foolishness is joy to him who is without heart and lacks [intelligent, common] sense,But a man of understanding walks uprightly [making his course straight].

He who neglects and ignores instruction and discipline despises himself,But he who learns from rebuke acquires understanding [and grows in wisdom].

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

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

Understanding (spiritual insight) is a [refreshing and boundless] wellspring of life to those who have it,But to give instruction and correction to fools is foolishness.

A reprimand goes deeper into one who has understanding and a teachable spiritThan a hundred lashes into a fool.

Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,When he has no common sense or even a heart for it?

[Skillful and godly] wisdom is in the presence of a person of understanding [and he recognizes it],But the eyes of a [thickheaded] fool are on the ends of the earth.

He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words,And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).

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.

A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding,But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].

He who gains wisdom and good sense loves (preserves) his own soul;He who keeps understanding will find good and prosper.

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

Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent;Reprimand one who has understanding and a teachable spirit, and he will gain knowledge and insight.

A plan (motive, wise counsel) in the heart of a man is like water in a deep well,But a man of understanding draws it out.

A man who wanders from the way of understanding (godly wisdom)Will remain in the assembly of the dead.

There is no [human] wisdom or understandingOr counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.

Buy truth, and do not sell it;Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built,And by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation],

I went by the field of the lazy man,And by the vineyard of the man lacking understanding and common sense;

When a land does wrong, it has many princes,But when the ruler is a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability endures.

The rich man [who is conceited and relies on his wealth instead of God] is wise in his own eyes,But the poor man who has understanding [because he relies on God] is able to see through him.

A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding and common sense [and his wickedness shortens his days],But he who hates unjust gain will [be blessed and] prolong his days.

Surely I am more brutish and stupid than any man,And I do not have the understanding of a man [for I do not know what I do not know].