Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
Doth not wisdom call, and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;
3 She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
4 O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
'Unto you, O men, 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 ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
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 excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
For my mouth shall utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination 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 in righteousness, there is nothing perverse or crooked in them.
9 They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.
For wisdom is better than rubies, and all things desirable are not to be compared unto her.
12 I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of devices.
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 is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.
15 By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
I love them that love me, and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
Riches and honour are with me; yea, enduring riches 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, yea, than fine gold; and my produce 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 righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;
21 That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.
22 The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old.
23 I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.
While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
When He established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep,
28 When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
When He made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep showed their might,
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 gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not transgress His commandment, when He appointed 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 by Him, as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, playing always before Him,
31 And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.
Playing in His habitable earth, and my delights are with the sons of men.
32 Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me; for happy 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.
Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
36 But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.'
