Proverbs 8
1 Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
2 On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
3 Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
4 “To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
5 O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
6 Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
7 For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
9 They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
11 For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
12 I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
[It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgement;
21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
22 The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
23 From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
24 When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
26 before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
27 I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
28 when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
29 when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.
decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
31 I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced amongst the children of men.
32 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
33 Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
[Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favour from the Lord.
36 But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
