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

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

Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can’t even find their way home.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him.So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long.Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king.

Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him.Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives.But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you.If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.

This is what you must do. When you priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of you will serve as gatekeepers.Another third will go over to the royal palace, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else should stay in the courtyards of the Lord’s Temple.Remember, only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple of the Lord, for they are set apart as holy. The rest of the people must obey the Lord’s instructions and stay outside.You Levites, form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to enter the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes.”So the Levites and all the people of Judah did everything as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not let anyone go home after their shift ended.Then Jehoiada supplied the commanders with the spears and the large and small shields that had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple of God.He stationed all the people around the king, with their weapons ready. They formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar.Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out Joash, the king’s son, placed the crown on his head, and presented him with a copy of God’s laws. They anointed him and proclaimed him king, and everyone shouted,“ Long live the king!”

Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them— much to everyone’s joy— that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them.But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted,“ The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows:“ Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.When they had finished, James stood and said,“ Brothers, listen to me.Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:‘ Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it,so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The Lord has spoken—he who made these things known so long ago.’“ And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”

Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek speaking believers complained about the Hebrew speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said,“ We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen( a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch( an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.

“ Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt.Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one fifth of all the crops during the seven good years.Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities.That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials.So Pharaoh asked his officials,“ Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”Then Pharaoh said to Joseph,“ Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are.

Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.

From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.

“ Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.