Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom call, and understanding put forth her voice?
Does wisdom not call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;
At the head of high places by the way, She has stood between the paths,
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she cries aloud,
4 'Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
“To you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] to the sons of men.
5 O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Understand, you simple ones, prudence, And you fools, understand the heart,
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Listen, for I speak noble things, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 For my mouth shall utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
For my mouth utters truth, And wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing perverse or crooked in them.
All the sayings of my mouth [are] in righteousness, Nothing in them is contrary and perverse.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.
Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies, and all things desirable are not to be compared unto her.
For wisdom [is] better than rubies, Indeed, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of devices.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And I find out a knowledge of purposes.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
The fear of YHWH [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a contrary mouth, I have hated.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.
Counsel and substance [are] mine, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
By me chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of earth.
17 I love them that love me, and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, enduring riches and righteousness.
Wealth and honor [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my produce than choice silver.
My fruit [is] better than gold, even fine gold, And my increase than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;
I cause to walk in a path of righteousness, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Indeed, I fill their treasures.
22 The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old.
YHWH possessed me—the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
I was anointed from the age, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 When He established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep,
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep showed their might,
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29 When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not transgress His commandment, when He appointed the foundations of the earth;
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters do not transgress His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 Then I was by Him, as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, playing always before Him,
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight—day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 Playing in His habitable earth, and my delights are with the sons of men.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me; for happy are they that keep my ways.
And now, you sons, listen to me, Indeed, blessed are they who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not slight.
34 Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
O the blessedness of the man listening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the doorposts of my entrance.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
For whoever is finding me, has found life, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
36 But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.'
And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!”
