Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice?
Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.
On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.
Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
4 Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man:
“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.
O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
7 For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
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 tortuous or perverse in them.
All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold:
Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
12 I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection.
I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength.
Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;
By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness.
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.
bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
23 I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.
From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.
When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
27 When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;
I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;
when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
29 when he imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed 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 then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
31 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men.
I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
32 And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways:
Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting 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 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah;
For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
36 but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
