Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.
Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.
Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
4 Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man:
O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.
O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
7 For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them.
All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold:
Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
11 for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection.
I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.
The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength.
Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;
By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me.
I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness.
With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.
20 I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.
That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.
22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
23 I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.
I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.
The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: 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.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;
When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
28 when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;
When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
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 compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when be balanced the foundations of the earth;
30 then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
31 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men.
Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
32 And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways:
Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah;
He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
36 but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
