Proverbs 8
1 Behold, wisdom calleth, and understanding sendeth forth her voice,
Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 On the top of high places, by the wayside, at the house where there are [many] paths doth she place herself.
At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3 Alongside of gates, at the opening of the city, at the entrance of the town[-doors] doth she call loudly,
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 [goeth forth] to the sons of men,
'Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] unto the sons of men.
5 Learn, O ye simple, to understand prudence: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6 Hear! for of noble things will I speak; and the opening of my lips shall be of what is equitable.
Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 For truth uttereth my palate ever, and the abomination of my lips is wickedness.
For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
8 In righteousness are all the sayings of my mouth, there is in them nothing crooked or perverse.
In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9 They are all evident to the man of understanding, and correct to those that have obtained knowledge.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
10 Accept my correction, 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 pearls; and all the things that men wish for are not equal to her.
For better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and the knowledge of discreet thoughts do I discover.
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 arrogance, and the evil way: and the mouth of perverseness 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 Mine are counsel and sound wisdom: I am understanding; mine is might.
Mine [is] counsel and substance, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 Through me do kings reign, and chieftains give decrees [in] righteousness.
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 Through me do princes rule, and the nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17 I indeed love those that love me: and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me, yea, enduring wealth and righteousness.
Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, and than fine gold; and my products, than choice silver.
Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20 On the road of righteousness do I walk firmly, in the midst the paths of justice:
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 a lasting possession; and their treasures will I fill
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
22 The Lord created me as the beginning of his way, the first of his works from the commencement,
Jehovah possessed me — the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 From eternity was I appointed chief, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 When there were yet no depths, was I brought forth; when there were yet no springs laden heavily with water.
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 Before the mountains were yet sunk down, 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 land and open fields, nor the chief 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 drew a circle over 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 fastened the skies above; when the springs of the deep became strong;
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29 When he assigned to the sea his decree, that the waters should not transgress his order: when he established firmly 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 was I near him, as a nursling: and I was day by day [his] delights, playing before him at all times;
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight — day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 Playing in the world, his earth; and having my delights with the sons of men.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 And now, O children [of men], hearken unto me! for happy those that observe my ways.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
33 Hear correction, and be wise, and reject it not.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
34 Happy is the man that hearkeneth unto me, watching day by day 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 he who findeth me findeth life, and he obtaineth favor from the Lord.
For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
36 But he that sinneth against me doth violence to his own soul: all those that hate me love death.
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
