Proverbs 8
1 You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
2 For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.
3 For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
4 You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
6 Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
7 For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
9 They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
11 For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
12 I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
13 The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
16 By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
18 Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.
19 [It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.
20 I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgment;
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.
22 The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
23 He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
24 even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
25 before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:
26 The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
27 When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
28 and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
29 decree. and when he strengthened 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 I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
31 For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.
Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
32 Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 [Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
35 For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favor from the Lord.
He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
36 But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
