Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, 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, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
4 O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
O ye men, to you I call, 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 subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
6 Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
7 For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
8 All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
9 They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
10 Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather 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 the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
12 I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in 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 hateth evil: I hate 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 and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
15 By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
16 By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
17 I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde 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: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
With me are riches and glory, glorious 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 the precious stone, and my blossoms 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.
That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill 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 any thing from the beginning.
23 I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
24 When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines 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 mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
The mountains with their huge bulk had not as 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.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
27 When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
28 When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
When he established the sky above, and poised 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 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 was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him 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 the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
32 Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not:
Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
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 that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
35 For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
36 But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
