Proverbs 8
1 Does not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 She stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3 She cries at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
'Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] unto the sons of men.
5 O all of you simple, understand wisdom: and, all of you fools, be all of you of an understanding heart.
Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing perverse or perverse in them.
In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9 They are all plain to him that understands, 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 the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
For better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
The fear of Jehovah [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
Mine [is] counsel and substance, 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 do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Jehovah possessed me — the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before even the earth was.
From the age I was anointed, 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 yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part 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 prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
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 pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing 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 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were 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 hearken unto me, O all of you children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
34 Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
35 For whoso finds me finds life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
36 But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
