Proverbs 8
1 Isn't wisdom calling? Isn't understanding raising her voice?
Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?
2 On the top of the hill by the road, she stands up at the crossroads.
At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:
3 Beside the gates of the town, right there at the entrance, she cries out:
Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —
4 “I'm calling out to you, everyone! My call is to everyone in the whole world!
Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;
5 If you're immature, learn how to grow up. If you're stupid, learn what makes good sense.
Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;
6 Listen to me because I have valuable things to explain to you.
Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;
7 I say what's right, because I tell the truth and I hate wickedness in all its forms.
For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;
8 All the words I say are true; none are false or misleading.
In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;
9 My words are straightforward to anyone with understanding; they are correct to those who have knowledge.
All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction over silver; choose knowledge over pure gold.
Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.
11 For wisdom is more valuable than rubies; everything you could ever want just doesn't compare!
For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.
12 I, wisdom, am at home with good decisions. I know how to find knowledge and discernment.
I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.
13 Honoring the Lord means hating evil. So I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behavior and telling lies.
The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.
14 I have advice and good judgment; I know what makes sense, and I have power.
Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:
15 It's because of me that kings reign, and rulers issue fair decrees.
By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;
16 It's because of me that leaders and nobles govern—all who rule justly.
By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:
17 I love those who love me, and those who really look for me will find me.
I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:
18 With me go riches and honor, lasting wealth and prosperity.
Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;
19 The fruit I produce is better than gold, even pure gold, and my harvest is better than even the best silver.
Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;
20 I live in a way that's right; I follow the paths of justice.
In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:
21 I grant wealth to those who love me; I fill their treasure storehouses.
That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.
22 The Lord created me first of all; I was made before anything else.
Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
23 I was formed a long time ago, at the first, before the world began.
At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;
24 I was born when there were no ocean depths, when there were no springs pouring out water.
When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;
25 I was born before the mountains or the hills had been formed,
Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;
26 when he hadn't made the earth and its fields or any of the earth's dust.
Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:
27 I was there when he placed the heavens in position, when he drew the horizon over the ocean,
When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;
28 when he made the clouds in the sky above, when he created the springs of the oceans,
When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;
29 when he set limits on the sea so that the waters would not go farther than he ordered, and when he laid out the foundations of the earth.
When he fixed for the sea its bound, that, the waters, should not go beyond his bidding, when he decreed the foundations of the earth: —
30 Then I was beside him as a master craftsman. I made him happy every day, and I was always full of joy in his presence.
Then became I beside him, a firm and sure worker, then became I filled with delight, day by day, exulting before him on every occasion;
31 I was so happy in the world he created, celebrating together with human beings.
Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.
32 And now, my sons, listen to me, for happy are those who follow my ways.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise—do not reject it.
Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.
34 Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me every day at my doors, waiting at my entrance way.
How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;
35 For those who find me, find life, and are accepted by the Lord.
For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;
36 But those who don't find me hurt themselves; everyone who hates me loves death.”
But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.
