Proverbs 8

1 Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?

2 On the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she standeth;

3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:

4 Unto you, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of men.

5 O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.

6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.

12 I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling, And find out knowledge and discretion.

13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.

15 By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.

18 Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable wealth and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;

21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries.

22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth;

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,

28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,

29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth;

30 Then I was by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him,

31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not.

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.

36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.

Proverbs 8

The Appeal of Wisdom

1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?

2 At the topt of the elevated places along the way,
at the intersectiont of the paths she takes her stand;

3 beside the gates opening intot the city,
at the entrance of the doorways she cries out:t

4 “To you, O people,t I call out,
and my voice callst to all mankind.t

5 You who are naive, discernt wisdom!
And you fools, understand discernment!t

6 Listen, for I will speak excellent things,t
and my lips will uttert what is right.

7 For my moutht speaks truth,t
and my lipss hate wickedness.t

8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;t
there is nothing in them twisteds or crooked.

9 All of them are cleart to the discerning
and upright to those who find knowledge.

10 Receive my instructiont rather thant silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies,
and desirable things cannot be comparedt to her.

12 “I, wisdom, live with prudence,t
and I findt knowledge and discretion.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hatets evil;
I hate arrogant pridet and the evil way
and perverse utterances.t

14 Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me;sts
I possess understanding and might.

15 Kings reign by means of me,
and potentatest decrees righteousness;

16 by me princes rule,
as well as nobles andt all righteous judges.s

17 I loves those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.

18 Riches and honor are with me,
long-lasting wealth and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than the purest gold,t
and what I produces is better than choice silver.

20 I walk in the path of righteousness,
in the pathway of justice,

21 that I may causet those who love me to inherit wealth,
and that I may fillt their treasuries.s

22 The Lord createdt me as the beginningt of his works,ts
before his deeds of long ago.

23 From eternity I was appointed,t
from the beginning, from before the world existed.t

24 When there were no deep oceanss I was born,t
when there were no springs overflowingt with water;

25 before the mountains were set in place –
before the hills – I was born,

26 before he made the earth and its fields,t
or the beginningt of the dust of the world.

27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he marked out the horizons over the face of the deep,

28 when he established the clouds above,
when the fountains of the deep grew strong,t

29 when he gave the sea his decree
that the waters should not pass over his command,t
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

30 then I wast beside him as a master craftsman,t
and I was his delightt day by day,
rejoicing before him at all times,

31 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth,t
and delightingt in its people.t

32 “So now, children,t listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 Listen to my instructiont so that you may be wise,t
and do not neglect it.

34 Blessed is the onet who listens to me,
watchingt at my doors day by day,
waitingt beside my doorway.t

35 For the one who finds me findss life
and receivest favor from the Lord.

36 But the one who does not find met brings harmts to himself;t
all who hate met love death.”