Wisdom, guidance and decision-making

This page contains selected passages from the Open English Translation with the passage from the OET Readers’ Version on the left, and the OET Literal Version on the right. Minimal commentary is included (only some headings)—our aim is simply to conveniently list the passages in one place so that our readers can make up their own minds about what the writer of the passage was intending to communicate.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

Seeking wisdom from Yahweh

OET Prov 2:1-15

2:1 The peace/prosperity from wisdom

2 My child, if you accept my sayings

≈ and internalise my commands,

2 so you’ll be attentive to wisdom

≈ and your mind will look for understanding,

3 if you’ll call out for insight,

≈ raising your voice to ask for understanding,

4 if you go after it as if it’s silver

≈ and search for it as if it was hidden treasure,

5 then you’ll understand how to respect and obey Yahweh

≈ and you’ll learn more about God.

6 That’s because Yahweh gives wisdom—

knowledge and understanding come from his mouth

7 and he gives true wisdom to godly people—

a protective shield for those walking with integrity.

8 to guard the paths of justice,

and he will preserve the way of those who are faithful to him.

9 Then you’ll understand righteousness and justice and integrity—every good path to walk,

10 because wisdom will enter into your mind

≈ and knowledge will give you pleasure.

11 Discretion will watch over you.

≈ Understanding will guard you

12 to rescue you off the path of wicked people—

from people who speak perversely—

13 the ones who abandon the paths of godliness

to walk in the ways of darkness,

14 the ones who are glad to do evil.

≈ They rejoice in perverse things of evil,

15 whose paths are crooked

≈ and going astray in their tracks.

2 My _son _of_my if you _will _receive words/messages _of_my and_commands _of_my you _will _treasure with_you.

2 To_make _attend to_wisdom ear _of_your you _will _incline heart _of_your to_understanding.

3 If/because if to_discernment you _will _call to_understanding you _will _give _forth voice _of_your.

4 If you_will _seek _it like_silver and_like _(the)_treasures you_will _search _for _it.

5 Then you _will _discern the _fear _of YHWH and_the _knowledge _of god you _will _find.

6 If/because YHWH he _gives wisdom are_from_mouth _of_his knowledge and_understanding.

7 And[fn] for _(the)_people success a _shield for_those _who_walk _of integrity.

8 To_guard the_paths _of justice and_the _way _of his _faithful_people[fn] he _will _preserve.

9 Then you _will _understand righteousness and_justice and_uprightness(es) every _of track _of good.

10 If/because wisdom it _will _come in_heart _of_your and_knowledge to_self _of_your it _will _be _pleasant.

11 Discretion it _will _watch over_you understanding it_will _preserve _you.

12 To_deliver_you from_the_way the_wicked from_man who_speaks perverse _things.

13 Who_leave paths _of uprightness to_go in_the _ways _of darkness.

14 The_ones_joyful for_doing evil they _exult in_perverse _things _of evil.

15 Who paths _of_their are_twisted and_they_are_crooked in_tracks _of_their.

2:7 OSHB variant note: ו/צפן: (x-qere) ’יִצְפֹּ֣ן’: lemma=6845 morph=HVqi3ms id=20GpK יִצְפֹּ֣ן

2:8 OSHB variant note: חסיד/ו: (x-qere) ’חֲסִידָ֣י/ו’: lemma=2623 morph=HAampc/Sp3ms id=20Unh חֲסִידָ֣י/ו

OET Prov 3:1-12

3:1 Advice to the young

3 My son, don’t forget my instructions,

≈ and keep my commands in your thoughts,

2 → because they’ll give you a longer lifetime

≈ and add peace to your life.

3 Don’t let loyal commitment and faithfulness leave you:

tie them around your neck,

≈ and inscribe them into your mind.

4 Then you’ll find favour and good insight

in the eyes of God and man.[ref]

5 Trust in Yahweh with everything in you,

^ and don’t rely on your own logic.

6 Acknowledge Yahweh’s involvement in everything you do,

and he’ll make the way easier to follow.

7 Don’t pride yourself on your own wisdom,[ref]

^ but rather obey Yahweh and turn away from evil.

8 It will be healing for your stomach,

≈ and refreshment for your bones.

9 Honour Yahweh from your wealth

≈ and from the first of everything you harvest,

10 → then your barns will be completely filled,

≈ and your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, don’t reject correction from Yahweh,

≈ and don’t resent his rebuke,[ref]

12 because Yahweh disciplines those he loves,[ref]

≈ just like a father does to his child that he appreciates.[ref]

3 My _son _of_my instruction _of_my do _not forget and_commands _of_my heart _of_your let _it _keep.

2 If/because length _of days and_years _of life and_peace they _will _add to/for_you(fs).

3 Loyalty and_faithfulness not may_they _leave _you bind_them on neck(s)_of_your write_them on the _tablet _of your _heart _of_your.

4 And_find favour and_insight good in/on_both _eyes _of god and_human/ʼĀdām.

5 Trust to YHWH in_all heart _of_your and_near/to understanding _of_your _own do _not depend.

6 In_all ways _of_your acknowledge_him and_he he _will _make _straight paths _of_your.

7 Do _not be wise in_your _two’s _own _of_eyes fear DOM YHWH and_turn _aside from_evil.

8 Healing may _it _be to_navel _of_your and_refreshment to_bones _of_your.

9 Honour DOM YHWH from_wealth _of_your and_from_the _first _of all _of produce _of_your.

10 So_ barns _of_your _that _they _may _be _filled plenty and_new _wine wine-vats _of_your they _will _burst _open.

11 The _discipline _of YHWH my _son _of_my do _not reject and_do _not loath (in)_rebuke _of_his.

12 If/because DOM the_one_whom he _loves YHWH he _reproves and_like_a _father DOM a _son whom_he _is _pleased _with.

OET Yac (Jam) 1:5-8

5 If anyone of you is lacking wisdom, then it should be requested from God who gives it generously and without disparagement, and so it will be given to you, 6 but the person who’s asking should demonstrate their faith and not be doubting. That’s because a person who doubts is like a wave on the sea that’s just blown and tossed around 7 and a person like that shouldn’t expect to get anything from the master 8 because that person is double-minded, and everything they attempt ends up in difficulty.

5 But if anyone of _you _all is _lacking of _wisdom, him _let _be _requesting from the one giving, god, to _all generously, and not deriding, and it _will _be _being _given to _him.

6 But him _let _be _requesting in faith, nothing doubting, because/for the one doubting is _like to_a_wave of_the_sea, being _blown and being _tossed.

7 For/Because not let _be _supposing the person that that he _will _be _receiving anything from the master,

8 a_man double-minded, disturbance in all the ways of _him.

Listening to counsel and deciding together

OET Prov 15:22-33

22 Plans go wrong where no one gets advice,

^ but they get implemented where there’s many advisers.

23 A person is always pleased to give the right answer,

≈ and the right thing said at the right time is so good.

24 Life’s path is upward for the wise person,

→ to prevent them going down to the grave.

25 Yahweh tears down the houses of the proud,

^ but he’ll protect a widow’s boundary.

26 Evil plans are hated by Yahweh,

^ but kind messages are pure.

27 The person who makes unjust gains, brings troubles on their own home,

^ but the one who hates bribes will live.

28 The person who does what’s right, thinks carefully before answering,

^ but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.

29 Yahweh is far from the wicked,

^ but he hears the prayer of those who do what’s right.

30 A bright look makes others glad.

≈ Good news makes your bones healthy.

31 The ear that listens to correction lives—

→ it will remain among the wise people.

32 Someone who ignores discipline, despises themself,

^ but anyone who listens to correction strengthens their values.

33 Wise instructions lead to striving to obey Yahweh,

≈ and humility leads to honour.

22 Plans they _go _wrong when_there_is_not counsel and_with_multitude _of counsellors it _is _established.

23 Joy belongs_to_person in_the_answer _of his _mouth _of_his and_is_a _message at_its _appropriate _of_time how good.

24 The_path _of life is_upward_upwards for_one _who_acts _prudently so _as to _turn _aside from_Shəʼōl beneath.

25 The_house _of proud_people he _tears _down YHWH and_he _will _establish the_territory _of a _widow.

26 Are_(the)_abomination _of YHWH the_plans _of an _evil_person and_are_clean words/messages _of kindness.

27 one _who_gains _unjustly unjust _gain is_troubling house _of_his _own and_one _who_hates gifts he _will _live.

28 The_heart a _righteous_person it _considers to_answer and_the_mouth _of wicked_people it _pours _forth evil _things.

29 Is_far YHWH from_wicked_people and_the_prayer _of righteous_people he _hears.

30 Light _of eyes it _makes _glad a _heart a _report good it _makes _fat the_bone[s].

31 An _ear which_hears _of[fn][fn] correction _of life in_the_midst _of wise_people it _will _remain.

32 one _who_ignores discipline[fn][fn] is_rejecting self _of_his and_one _who_heeds correction is_acquiring heart.

33 The _fear _of YHWH is_the_correction _of wisdom and_is_before _of honour humility.

15:31 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

15:31 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.

15:32 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

15:32 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.

OET Acts 15:22-29

15:22 The letter is carried to Antiokeia

22 So the missionaries and elders with all the assembly decided to choose some men to accompany Paulos and Barnabas to Antiokeia, so they chose Yehudah (Judas; Grk. Yudas) (nicknamed Bar-Saba) and Silas who were leaders among the believers, 23 This is what they wrote: This letter is from the missionaries and elders, your brothers here in Yerushalem (Jerusalem) to our non-Jewish fellow believers in Antiokeia and Aram (Syria) and Kilikia. 24 Since we heard that some people who weren’t sent by us came from here and disturbed you all with their upsetting messages, 25 we unanimously agreed to select some men to accompany our dear friends Barnabas and Paulos back. 26 These are men who have dedicated their lives to our master, Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah. 27 So we’ve sent Yehudah and Silas and they’ll confirm in person what we are writing. 28 It seemed right to the holy spirit and to us to not burden you all with anything more than the following commands: 29 you all must keep away from anything sacrificed to idols, from eating or drinking blood or strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you avoid these things. Farewell.

22 Then it _supposed to _the ambassadors and the elders with all the assembly, having _chosen men from them, to _send them to Antioⱪeia with the Paulos and Barnabas, Youdas/(Yəhūdāh) which being _called Barsabbas and Silas, leading men among the brothers,

23 having _written by the_hand of _them:
The ambassadors and the elders, brothers, to _be _greeting to _the ones in the Antioⱪeia, and Suria/(ʼArām), and Kilikia, brothers which from the_pagans.

24 Since we _heard that some from us to _whom we_ not _instructed having _come _out, disturbed you _all by_ upsetting _messages the hearts of _you _all,

25 it _supposed to _us having _become with _one _accord, having _chosen men to _send to you _all, with Barnabas and Paulos the beloved of _us,

26 men having _given _over the lives of _them for the name of _the master of _us, Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah.

27 Therefore we _have _sent _out Youdas and Silas, and them reporting the same things by message.

28 For/Because it _supposed to _the the holy spirit and to _us, nothing more burden to _be _being _laid _on on _you _all, except which necessarily these things:

29 to _be _keeping _away from _idol _sacrificed things, and from _blood, and from _strangled animals, and from _sexual _immorality, from which keeping yourselves, you _all _will _be _doing well.
Stay _strong.

Learning to choose what is good

13 Any of you that are wise and understanding should demonstrate their good deeds and wisdom by their godly living. 14 But if you are full of bitter jealousy or selfish ambition, don’t be boasting or denying the truth 15 because none of that came down to you from heaven, but on the contrary it’s earthly and soulish and demonic. 16 Wherever you find jealousy and selfish ambition, you’ll also find disharmony and all kinds of evil. 17 In contrast, the wisdom that comes from God is pure, peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good behaviour, unceasing, and not hypocritical. 18 Those who desire peace sow the seeds that will produce godly behaviour.

13 Who is wise and understanding among you _all?
Him _let _show out _of his good conduct the works of _him in the_gentleness of _wisdom.

14 But if jealousy bitter you _all _are _having, and selfish _ambition in the heart of _you _all, not be _boasting and be _lying against the truth.

15 Not is this the wisdom from _above coming _down, but earthly, soulish, demonic.

16 For/Because where jealousy and selfish _ambition is, there is disturbance and every evil matter.

17 But the from _above wisdom, first indeed pure is, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of _mercy and of _fruits good, unceasing, unhypocritical.

18 And the_fruit of _righteousness in peace is _being _sown, by _the ones making peace.

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