My child, if you accept my words
    and treasure up my commandments within you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
if you indeed cry out for insight,
    and raise your voice for understanding;
if you seek it like silver,
    and search for it as for hidden treasures--
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
    and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
guarding the paths of justice
    and preserving the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;

¹ Blessed is the one who has not walked
   in the counsel of the wicked, *
 nor lingered in the way of sinners,
   nor sat in the assembly of the scornful.
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord *
 and on his law he meditates law day and night.
³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water
   bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither, *
 whatever he does shall prosper.
⁴ The wicked are not so; *
 they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
⁵ Therefore the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement, *
 nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous.
⁶ For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *
 but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Psalm 34:1-8

¹ I will bless the Lord at all times; *
 his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
² My soul shall glory in the Lord; *
 let the humble hear and be glad.
³ O magnify the Lord with me; *
 let us exalt his name together.
⁴ I sought the Lord and he answered me *
 and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Look upon him and be radiant *
 and your faces shall not be ashamed.
⁶ This poor soul cried, and the Lord heard me *
 and saved me from all my troubles.
⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him *
 and delivers them.
⁸ O taste and see that the Lord is gracious; *
 blessed is the one who trusts in him.

Jesus said to the crowd, "Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."