Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
3 She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
4 O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
“O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
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 will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
7 For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
8 All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
9 They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
10 Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
11 For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.
For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
12 I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
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.
The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
15 By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
16 By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
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 stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
18 Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
19 My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.
For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than 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 justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.
so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
22 The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
23 I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
24 When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
25 Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. 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.
Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
27 When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
28 When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
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 encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth.
30 Then was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
31 And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.
playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
32 Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
33 Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not:
Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
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, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
35 For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
36 But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
