Proverbs 8:12

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
– Proverbs 8:12

Wisdom dwells with, or resides with, prudence, indicating their compatibility. Prudence is shrewdness or discretion. It can be positive or negative depending on the context and refers to cunning or craftiness. Witty inventions are plans or plots. We might even refer to schemes. The word here also relies on context to supply the gloss. They are here paired together indicating that wisdom gives shrewdness and the skill of planning. Wisdom is street-wise and knows how to navigate life, as demonstrated in the prudent man who foresees and avoids evil (Proverbs 22:3). Such a description disabuses us of any notion of a wise person as lofty, detached, and void of common sense or any practical knowledge.

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