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