Proverbs 8
1 Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?
Behold, wisdom calleth, and understanding sendeth forth her voice,
2 At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;
On the top of high places, by the wayside, at the house where there are [many] paths doth she place herself.
3 Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:
Alongside of gates, at the opening of the city, at the entrance of the town[-doors] doth she call loudly,
4 I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.
Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice [goeth forth] to the sons of men,
5 Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.
Learn, O ye simple, to understand prudence: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.
Hear! for of noble things will I speak; and the opening of my lips shall be of what is equitable.
7 For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.
For truth uttereth my palate ever, and the abomination of my lips is wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.
In righteousness are all the sayings of my mouth, there is in them nothing crooked or perverse.
9 They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.
They are all evident to the man of understanding, and correct to those that have obtained knowledge.
10 Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.
Accept my correction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.
For wisdom is better than pearls; and all the things that men wish for are not equal to her.
12 I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and the knowledge of discreet thoughts do I discover.
13 The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance, and the evil way: and the mouth of perverseness do I hate.
14 Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
Mine are counsel and sound wisdom: I am understanding; mine is might.
15 Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
Through me do kings reign, and chieftains give decrees [in] righteousness.
16 Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
Through me do princes rule, and the nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
I indeed love those that love me: and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
18 Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
Riches and honor are with me, yea, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
My fruit is better than gold, and than fine gold; and my products, than choice silver.
20 I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
On the road of righteousness do I walk firmly, in the midst the paths of justice:
21 So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.
That I may cause those that love me to inherit a lasting possession; and their treasures will I fill
22 The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.
The Lord created me as the beginning of his way, the first of his works from the commencement,
23 From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.
From eternity was I appointed chief, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
24 When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.
When there were yet no depths, was I brought forth; when there were yet no springs laden heavily with water.
25 Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:
Before the mountains were yet sunk down, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world.
While as yet he had not made the land and open fields, nor the chief of the dust of the world.
27 When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:
When he prepared the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle over the face of the deep;
28 When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:
When he fastened the skies above; when the springs of the deep became strong;
29 When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:
When he assigned to the sea his decree, that the waters should not transgress his order: when he established firmly the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;
Then was I near him, as a nursling: and I was day by day [his] delights, playing before him at all times;
31 Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
Playing in the world, his earth; and having my delights with the sons of men.
32 Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.
And now, O children [of men], hearken unto me! for happy those that observe my ways.
33 Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.
Hear correction, and be wise, and reject it not.
34 Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.
Happy is the man that hearkeneth unto me, watching day by day at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.
For he who findeth me findeth life, and he obtaineth favor from the Lord.
36 But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.
But he that sinneth against me doth violence to his own soul: all those that hate me love death.
