Proverbs 8
1 Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2 At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
4 “O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
7 My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
9 They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
12 I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
14 Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15 Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
16 Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
17 I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
18 With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
23 I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
25 The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
27 I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
29 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.
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 with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
31 playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
32 Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
34 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.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
35 He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
36 But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
