Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
4 O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
6 Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
7 For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
9 They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.
For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
12 I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride, and arrogancie, and the euill way: and a mouth that speaketh lewde things, I doe hate.
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
14 I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15 By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
16 By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
17 I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.
My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
20 I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes, and in the middes of the paths of iudgement,
I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.
bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
22 The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
23 I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
25 Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.
before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
27 When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
29 When he gaue his decree to the Sea, that the waters shoulde not passe his commandement: 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 was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
31 And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.
I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
32 Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not:
Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
34 blessed is the man that heareth mee, watching dayly at my gates, and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
35 For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
36 But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
