The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Meaning: Recognizing divine authority and moral accountability forms the foundational discipline from which genuine understanding grows.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Perseverance
- Wit is folly, unless a wise man hath the keeping of it. — Cleverness without prudent restraint becomes destructive, as unchecked intelligence ampli…
- He had enough to keep the wolf from the door. — Survival requires only minimal resources; having just enough to prevent destitution satis…
- A woman's work is never at an end. — Domestic labor multiplies infinitely, offering no natural stopping point or completion un…
- They that will not work in heat, must hunger in frost. — Refusing effort during favorable conditions guarantees hardship when circumstances turn d…
- The world was never so dull but if one won't another will. — Opportunity always finds a willing participant if the first person refuses it.
- This world is nothing except it tend to the next. — Earthly pursuits lack purpose unless they cultivate spiritual growth and eternal salvatio…
From our compliments & insults
- 石頭 (Ishiatama) — A stubborn, inflexible person who won't budge.
- Tu as du chien — You have a certain irresistible magnetism — a je-ne-sais-quoi that draws people in.
- Tu as la tête sur les épaules — You're grounded, sensible, and dependable — not easily swept off course.