If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.

铁器钝了，若不将刃磨快，就必多费气力；但得智慧指教，便有益处。

铁器钝了，若不将刃磨快，就必多费力气；但智慧的益处在于使人成功。

铁器钝了，若不将刃磨快，就必多费力气；但智慧的益处在于使人成功。

斧头钝了若不磨利，用起来必多费力气，但智慧能助人成功。

斧头若钝了，还不把斧刃磨快，就必多费力气；智慧的好处在于助人成功。

铁器钝了，如果不把刃磨利，用起来就多费力气；而智慧无往不利，带来成功。

鐵器鈍了，若不將刃磨快，就必多費氣力；但得智慧指教，便有益處。

鐵器鈍了，若不將刃磨快，就必多費力氣；但智慧的益處在於使人成功。

鐵器鈍了，若不將刃磨快，就必多費力氣；但智慧的益處在於使人成功。

斧頭鈍了若不磨利，用起來必多費力氣，但智慧能助人成功。

斧頭若鈍了，還不把斧刃磨快，就必多費力氣；智慧的好處在於助人成功。

鐵器若鈍了，人又不將刀刃磨快，那麼他就得多費力氣；但智慧的長處是能給人成功。

鐵器鈍了，如果不把刃磨利，用起來就多費力氣；而智慧無往不利，帶來成功。

斧鈍不礪其鋒、則費力尤多、惟智慧使人獲益、

斧斤己鈍、不加磨礪、則斬伐必費其力、智者知所當為。

斧刃已鈍、若不磨礪、斬伐必致費力、有智慧者知當務之為急、有智慧者知當務之為急或作有智慧者知如何治之

If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.

Suppose the blade of an ax is dull. And its edge hasn’t been sharpened. Then more effort is needed to use it. But skill will bring success.

Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.

If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success.

If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success.

If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.

If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success.

If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom[ is] profitable to direct.

If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God,and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers,and one third shall be at the king’s house and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.Let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the Lord.The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions.And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of God.And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house.Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said,“ Long live the king.”

And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said,“ It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them,“ Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.After they finished speaking, James replied,“ Brothers, listen to me.Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,“‘ After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these thingsknown from of old.’Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said,“ It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen( as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.

Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years.And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it.That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.And Pharaoh said to his servants,“ Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”Then Pharaoh said to Joseph,“ Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.

“ Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.