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Wisdom
Bob Marley Lyrics


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The lips of the righteous teach many,
But fools die for want of wisdom.
The rich man wealth is in his city;
Do you hear, do you hear, can you understa-and?!

Destruction of the poor, is poverty;
Destruction of the soul, is vanity.
The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Pla-ace.
Do you hear?

Those who have eyes, to see will see!

/break/

The rich man wealth is in his city;
Do you hear, do you believe, do you understand?!

Destruction of the poor is poverty.
Destruction of the soul is vanity,
Well hear me children!
The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Pla-ace!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bob Marley’s song “Wisdom” convey the importance of wisdom, righteousness, and faith in a divided world. The opening lines, “The lips of the righteous teach many, But fools die for want of wisdom,” suggest that those who follow the path of righteousness have more wisdom to share than those who act foolishly. The rich man’s wealth may be in his city, but true wealth lies in a person’s faith and beliefs, as emphasized in the line, “The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Place.” Marley then drives the point home with the repeating chorus, “Do you hear, do you hear, can you understa-and?!” urging listeners to open their ears and hearts to the message he wishes to convey.


Marley then shifts the message towards the destruction caused by poverty and vanity, stating that “Destruction of the poor is poverty, Destruction of the soul is vanity.” This powerful statement suggests that poverty not only affects a person financially but also emotionally, leading to a sort of “soul destruction.” In contrast, those who follow the righteous path and believe have their wealth in a place beyond physical possessions.


The closing lyrics of the song emphasize the importance of being able to see beyond what is superficial, stating, “Those who have eyes, to see will see!” Marley’s message is clear, encouraging his listeners to seek wisdom, righteousness, and faith, and to avoid the destructive effects of wealth that prioritizes vanity and material possessions.


Line by Line Meaning

The lips of the righteous teach many,
Those who are moral and just have valuable teachings to share and can impart wisdom onto others.


But fools die for want of wisdom.
Those who lack wisdom can suffer negative consequences and ultimately meet their demise due to their foolishness.


The rich man wealth is in his city;
Material abundance is often concentrated in urban areas where wealth can buy luxury and comfort.


Do you hear, do you hear, can you understa-and?!
The artist is challenging the listener to listen closely and comprehend the message being conveyed.


Destruction of the poor, is poverty;
When the lives of the impoverished are ruined, it only perpetuates poverty and makes it impossible for them to break free from it.


Destruction of the soul, is vanity.
Materialistic and selfish desires can cause the soul to deteriorate and become hollow, leading to a life lacking in true substance and meaning.


The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Pla-ace.
Those who lead righteous lives and uphold their moral values have spiritual wealth that cannot be achieved through material possessions.


Do you hear?
The artist is calling attention to the importance of truly listening and understanding the message being conveyed.


Those who have eyes, to see will see!
Wise individuals are able to perceive past surface level observations and see the truth in situations.


The rich man wealth is in his city;
This line is repeated to emphasize the message of concentrated wealth in urban areas.


Do you hear, do you believe, do you understand?!
The singer is urging the listener to not only hear and understand but also believe in the message being conveyed.


Destruction of the poor is poverty.
This line is repeated to further emphasize the cyclical nature of poverty and its destructive effects on those who are impoverished.


Destruction of the soul is vanity,
Repeating this line reinforces the message that material obsessions and selfish pursuits can have negative impacts on the soul.


Well hear me children!
This line is a command to listen carefully to the singer's message and take it to heart.


The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Pla-ace!
The repetition of this line serves as a reminder that spiritual wealth is far more valuable than material wealth.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEE PERRY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

darren Shane

Lyrics:

The lips of the righteous teach many,
But fools die for want of wisdom.
The rich man wealth is in his city;
Do you hear, do you hear, can you understa-and?!

Destruction of the poor, is poverty;
Destruction of the soul, is vanity.
The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Pla-ace.

Do you hear?
Those who have eyes, to see will see!
/Break/

The rich man wealth is in his city;
Do you hear, do you believe, do you understand?!

Destruction of the poor is poverty.
Destruction of the soul is vanity,
Well hear me children!
The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Pla-ace!



All comments from YouTube:

Le Crabe Lunaire

One of the most unknown and underestimated Bob songs. Yet she is in the top of the great bob songs for me

Carlos Jesús Maita

EXTRAORDINARIO, BOB, INFINITAMENTE GENIAL!!!

Alaia vibes

Legends never die Marley FOREVER!

Easton

Haunting Music, that key riff & solo, piano truly heavenly

Leo di Brito

Amém
Essa letra e uma benção
Gratidão

David Benjamin

Por favor Alguém pode me dá as notas desta linda canção, procurei na net e não achei alguém sabe por favor me ajuda.

Creative Flo Adventures

Always loved this version. Peace and love who have the eyes to see and ears to hear .

Van Odyssey

This tune permeates my mind, body and soul.

MikhaEl IRIE

Wow. Bob Marley is a Prophet. So much can be RELEARNED from Bob Marley. YAH/JAH BLESS EVERYONE LISTENING TO THIS SONG AND BLESSINGS TO EVERYONE AND EVERY RACE AND EVERY BEING ACROSS THE WORLD AND THE GALAXY. ONE LOVE ONE PEACE ONE DREAM

dpgoldengate

“Those who have eyes to see will see” My Lord! That says so much! Yes Bob, I hear, I believe and I understand! Thank you, Star!

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