< Proverbs 8 >
1 You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
2 For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
3 For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
4 You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
“O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
6 Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
7 For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
9 They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
10 Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
11 For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
12 I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
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.
The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
16 By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
18 Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
19 [It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
20 I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgement;
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
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.
so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
22 The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
23 He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
24 even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
25 before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
26 The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe 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 already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
28 and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
29 decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed 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.
I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
31 For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced amongst the children of men.
playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with 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;
Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
33 [Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
34 watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
35 For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favour from the Lord.
He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from 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 sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”