An old teacher of mine is about to turn 90 and I'm trying to locate a pasuk, which, I think, says: "Treasure the words of a wise man for they are..." or "Heed the words of a wise man, for they are more [valuable?] than [treasure?]". I'm beginning to wonder whether I've confused one or more pesukim. Any ideas?
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3 Answers
Perhaps Mishlei 25:12:
יב נֶזֶם זָהָב, וַחֲלִי-כָתֶם-- מוֹכִיחַ חָכָם, עַל-אֹזֶן שֹׁמָעַת.
12 As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
In other words, the rebuke of a wise man is gold to those who will accept it.
This smacks of Mishlei thematically. Perhaps you're thinking of 22:17-18, in terms of wisdom being quid pro quo, although there is no treasure here:
הַט אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים וְלִבְּךָ תָּשִׁית לְדַעְתִּי. כִּי נָעִים כִּי תִשְׁמְרֵם בְּבִטְנֶךָ יִכֹּנוּ יַחְדָּו עַל שְׂפָתֶיךָ
JPS:
Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; let them be established altogether upon thy lips.
Perhaps you were thinking of the first half of Ecclesiastes 10:12:
דִּבְרֵי פִי-חָכָם, חֵן; וְשִׂפְתוֹת כְּסִיל, תְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ.
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.