There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise [promotes] health.

A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

Surely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands.

Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the feeble knees;

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary [food.]

"[Men] listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.

After my words they did not speak again, And my speech settled on them [as dew.]

The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice.

And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out [and] set in order many proverbs.

The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and [what was] written [was] upright -- words of truth.

"And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, [son] of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."

He said to him the third time, "Simon, [son] of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

And say: "How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction!

He shall die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand [it,] then the wicked [one] comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Why [is there] in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, Since [he has] no heart [for it?]