"So giveYour servantan understandingheartto judgeYour peopleto discernbetweengoodand evil.For whois ableto judgethisgreatpeopleof Yours?"
"Then your maidservantsaid,'Pleaselet the wordof my lordthe kingbe comforting,for as the angelof God,sois my lordthe kingto discerngoodand evil.And may the LORDyour Godbe with you.'"
Allthe earthwas seekingthe presenceof Solomon,to hearhis wisdomwhichGodhad putin his heart.
It was pleasingin the sightof the Lordthat Solomonhad askedthisthing.
When allIsraelheardof the judgmentwhichthe kinghad handeddown,they fearedthe king,for they sawthat the wisdomof Godwas in him to administerjustice.
"Onlythe LORDgiveyou discretionand understanding,and giveyou chargeoverIsrael,so that you may keepthe lawof the LORDyour God.
and giveto my sonSolomona perfectheartto keepYour commandments,Your testimoniesand Your statutes,and to do[them] all,and to buildthe temple,for whichI have madeprovision."
"Giveme nowwisdomand knowledge,that I may goout and comein beforethispeople,for whocan rulethisgreatpeopleof Yours?"
Your testimoniesare righteousforever;Giveme understandingthat I may live.Qoph.
Giveme understanding,that I may observeYour lawAnd keepit with all[my] heart.
Your handsmademe and fashionedme; Giveme understanding,that I may learnYour commandments.
The wisdomof the sensibleis to understandhis way,But the foolishnessof foolsis deceit.
Howmuch betterit is to getwisdomthangold!And to getunderstandingis to be chosenabovesilver.
The hearingearand the seeingeye,The LORDhas madebothof them.
Wisdomalongwith an inheritanceis goodAnd an advantageto those who seethe sun.
Wisdomstrengthensa wisemanmorethantenrulerswhoare in a city.
Then I said,"Alas,LordGOD!Behold,I do not knowhow to speak,BecauseI am a youth."
But you, are you seekinggreatthingsfor yourself? Do not seek[them]; for behold,I am going to bringdisasteron allflesh,'declaresthe LORD,but I will giveyour lifeto you as bootyin allthe placeswhereyou may go.'"
"It is He who changesthe timesand the epochs;He removeskingsand establisheskings;He giveswisdomto wisemenAnd knowledgeto men of understanding.
"As for me, I baptizeyou with waterfor repentance,but He who is comingafterme is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto removeHis sandals;He will baptizeyou with the HolySpiritand fire.
But Johntried to preventHim, saying,"I haveneedto be baptizedby You, and do You cometo me?"
"I candonothingon My own initiative.As I hear,I judge;and My judgmentis just,becauseI do not seekMy ownwill,but the willof Him who sentMe.
to the onean aromafrom deathto death,to the otheran aromafrom lifeto life.And whois adequatefor these things?
Not that we are adequatein ourselvesto consideranythingas [coming] from ourselves,but our adequacyis from God,
Sothendo not be foolish,but understandwhatthe willof the Lordis.
sothat you may approvethe things that are excellent,in orderto be sincereand blamelessuntilthe dayof Christ;
But solidfoodis for the mature,who becauseof practicehavetheir sensestrainedto discerngoodand evil.
But ifanyof you lackswisdom,let him askof God,who givesto allgenerouslyand withoutreproach,and it will be givento him.
But the wisdomfrom aboveis firstpure,thenpeaceable,gentle,reasonable,fullof mercyand goodfruits,unwavering,without hypocrisy.
