'Wise' in the Bible

When the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food and that it [was] a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make [one] wise, then she took from its fruit and she ate. And she gave [it] also to her husband with her, and he ate.

And it happened [that] in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called all of the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men, and Pharaoh told his dream to them. But {they had no interpretation} for Pharaoh.

Now then, let Pharaoh select a man [who is] discerning and wise, and let him set him over the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all of this known to you there is no one as discerning and wise as you.

And Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did likewise with their secret arts.

Choose for yourselves {wise and discerning and knowledgeable men} for [each of] your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.'

And so I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and [then] I appointed them as leaders over you [as] commanders of [groups of] thousands and commanders of [groups of] hundreds and commanders of [groups of] fifties and commanders of [groups of] tens [as] officials for your tribes.

And {you must observe them diligently}, for that [is] your wisdom and your insight before the eyes of the people, who will hear all [of] these rules, and they will say, 'Surely this great nation [is] a wise and discerning people.'

You shall not subvert justice; you shall not {show partiality}; and you shall not take a bribe, for the bribe makes blind [the] eyes of [the] wise and misrepresents [the] words of [the] righteous.

If only they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern {for themselves their end}.

The name of the man [was] Nabal, and the name of his wife [was] Abigail. Now the woman [was] wise and beautiful, but the man [was] stubborn and {mean}, and he [was] as his heart.

So Joab sent to Tekoa and took from there a wise woman, and he said to her, "Please pretend to mourn and put on garments of mourning. You should not anoint yourself [with] oil, and you must act like this woman who has been mourning over the dead for {a long time}.

Then a wise woman from the city called out, "Listen, listen! Please speak to Joab [to] come near here so that I may speak to you."

The woman went to all of the people with her wise plan, so they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bicri and threw [it] to Joab. Then he blew the horn and dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

So then, do not leave him unpunished, for you [are] a wise man, and you will know what you must do to him. You must bring his grey hair down to Sheol with blood."

And God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and you did not ask for yourself {a long life} and you did not ask riches for yourself and you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you have asked for yourself {the ability to make wise judgments};

behold, I do hereby do according to your word. I hereby give you a wise and discerning heart; there was no one like you before you, nor afterwards will one like you arise.

When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and he said, "Blessed be Yahweh this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people."

And the lot fell to the east to Shelemiah. As for Zechariah his son, {a wise counselor}, they cast lots. And his lot came out for the north.

Then Huram said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has made the heavens and the earth, who has given to King David a wise son knowing discretion and understanding, who will build for Yahweh a house and a royal palace for himself.

And I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were family heads, and for Jehoiarib and Elnathan who were wise.

And the king said to the wise men, {the ones who know the times}--for it [was] the procedure of the king before all those who knew law and rights;

[He] is capturing [the] wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are rushed.

[He is] wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and succeeded?

"Should [the] wise answer [with] windy knowledge, and should he fill his stomach [with the] east wind?

what wise men have told, and they have not hidden [that which is] from their ancestors,

But {all of you must return}--{please come}! But I shall not find a wise [person] among you.

"Can a man be of use to God? Yes, can [the] wise be of use to him?

[It is] not {the aged} [who] are wise, or [it is not] [the] elders [who] understand justice.

"Hear my words, you wise men, and listen to me, you who know,

{Those who have sense} say to me, and [the] wise man hearing me [says]:

Therefore people revered him; he does not regard any {who think that they are wise}."

So then, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O rulers of [the] earth.

The law of Yahweh [is] perfect, reviving life. The testimony of Yahweh [is] firm, making wise [the] simple.

For he sees [that] the wise die, together [with the] fool and brute they perish, and leave their wealth to the next [generation].

Whoever [is] wise, then let him observe these [things], and let them consider Yahweh's acts of loyal love.

may the wise hear and increase learning, and the one who understands gain direction,

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Yahweh and retreat from evil.

They will inherit the honor of the wise, but stubborn fools, disgrace.

Go to the ant, lazy! Consider its ways and be wise.

Hear teaching and be wise; do not neglect [it].

Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you.

Give to a wise one and he will become more wise; {teach} a righteous one and he will increase learning.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and [if] you scoff, alone you shall bear [it].

The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child makes a father glad, but a foolish child grieves his mother.

Those who are wise lay up knowledge, but [to] the mouth of the fool, ruin draws near.

He who brings trouble [to] his household, he will inherit wind, and a fool will serve the wise of heart.

The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, and he who captures souls [is] wise.

The way of a fool is upright in his [own] eyes, but he who listens to advice [is] wise.

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

A wise child [hears] the discipline of a father, but a scoffer does not listen to a rebuke.

The teaching of the wise [is] a fountain of life, [in order] to avoid the snares of death.

Walk with the wise and be wise, but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.

In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride, but the lips of the wise preserve them.

The wise is cautious and turns from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.

The crown of the wise [is] their wealth; the folly of fools is folly.

The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge, but the mouth of fools will pour out folly.

The lips of the wise will spread knowledge, but the heart of fools, not so.

A scoffer does not like {his rebuke}; to the wise he will not go.

The ear of him who listens [to] admonitions of life, in the midst of the wise it will lodge.

Fear of Yahweh [is] the instruction of the wise, and before honor [comes] humility.

The wrath of a king [is] a messenger of death, but one who is wise will appease it.

The wise of heart is called perceptive, but he who is pleasant of lips will increase persuasiveness.

The heart of the wise will make his mouth judicious, and upon his lips, it will add persuasiveness.

Even a fool who keeps silent {shall be considered wise}; he who closes his lips [is] intelligent.

An intelligent {mind} will acquire knowledge, and the ear of the wise will seek knowledge.

Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and any who go astray by it are not wise.

A wise king winnows the wicked, and he will drive a wheel over them.

With the punishment of a scoffer, the simple will become wise, and with the instruction of the wise, he will obtain knowledge.

Precious treasure and oil [are] in the house of the wise, but the foolish person will devour them.

To a city of warriors, the wise ascends, and he will bring down the stronghold--its object of trust.

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise; you shall apply your heart to my teaching.

My child, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad--even me!

You, my child, hear and be wise, and direct your heart on the road

The father of the righteous will surely rejoice; he who bears a wise person will be happy with him.

For with wise guidance you shall make war for yourself, and victory [is] in an abundance of counsel.

These [sayings] are also for the wise: {Partiality} in judgment is not good.

A ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold [is] a rebuke of the wise to the ear of a listener.

Answer a fool according to his folly, or else he will be wise in his own eyes.

[Do] you see a man wise in his own eyes? [There is more] hope for a fool than for him.

Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad, and I will answer him who reproaches me [with] a word.

A man of wealth [is] wise in his own eyes, but the intelligent poor sees through him.

Men of scoffing set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath.

[If] a wise man goes to court with a foolish man, then there is rankling and ridicule, but there is no relief.

A fool gives all his breath, but [the] wise holds back in quiet.

There [are] four small things on the earth, and they [are] {exceedingly wise}:

{The wise man can see where he is walking}, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that both of them suffer the same fate.

Certainly no one will remember the wise man or the fool in {future generations}. When [future] days come, both will have been forgotten already. How [is it that] the wise man dies the same as the fool?

And who knows [whether] he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will exercise control of all [the fruit of] my toil with which I toiled wisely under the sun. This also [is] vanity!

A poor but wise youth [is] better than an old but foolish king who no longer knows {how to receive advice}.

So do the wise [really] have an advantage over fools? {Can the poor [really] gain anything by knowing how to act in front of others}?

The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.

Better to listen to [the] rebuke of [the] wise than for a man to listen to [the] song of fools.

Surely oppression makes a fool of the wise, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

Do not be excessively righteous, and do not act excessively wise, lest you destroy yourself.

Wisdom gives more strength to the wise than ten rulers who are in the city.

All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise!" but {it was beyond my grasp}.

Whoever obeys [his] command will not suffer disaster. The wise mind knows the [proper] time and the right [procedure].

Then I saw all the work of God--man [is] not able to discover the work that is done under the sun. Although man may toil in seeking, he cannot find it. Even if a wise man claims [that he] knows it, he cannot find it.

So all this I laid to my heart, and I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, [are] in the hand of God. So no one knows anything that will [come] to them, whether [it will be] love or hatred.