Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2 Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, 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, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
4 O ye men, to you I call, 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 subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
6 Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
7 My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
9 They are right to them that understand, and just 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 money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
12 I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate 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 and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15 By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
16 By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
17 I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
18 With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms 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 That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill 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 any thing from the beginning.
The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
23 I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
25 The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles 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 present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
29 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;
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 forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him 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 the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
32 Now therefore, ye children, hear me: 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, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth 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 that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
36 But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
