Proverbs 8
1 Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding put forth her voice?
Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she cries aloud:
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
4 To you, O men, I call. And my voice is to the sons of men.
'Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] unto the sons of men.
5 O ye simple, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things. And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 For my mouth shall utter truth. And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9 They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.
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 to it.
For better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling, and find out knowledge and discretion.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil. Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
The fear of Jehovah [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge. I am understanding, I have might.
Mine [is] counsel and substance, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 By me rulers rule, and ranking men, even all the judges of the earth.
By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently shall find me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me, durable wealth and righteousness.
Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver.
Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice,
In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 that I may cause those who love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Jehovah possessed me — the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was,
From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 when there were no depths. I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water,
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 before the mountains were settled, before the hills. I was brought forth
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong,
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
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,
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 then I was by him, a master workman. And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him,
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight — day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 rejoicing in his habitable earth. And my delight was with the sons of men.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore, ye sons, hearken to me. For blessed are those who keep my ways.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
34 Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
35 For he who finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor of Jehovah.
For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
