Proverbs 8
1 Does wisdom not call? And understanding give forth her voice?
Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2 At the head of high places by the way, She has stood between the paths,
On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
3 At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she cries aloud,
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] to the sons of men.
“I call to you men! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
5 Understand, you simple ones, prudence, And you fools, understand the heart,
You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!
6 Listen, for I speak noble things, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
7 For my mouth utters truth, And wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.
For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the sayings of my mouth [are] in righteousness, Nothing in them is contrary and perverse.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom [is] better than rubies, Indeed, all delights are not comparable with it.
For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
12 I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And I find out a knowledge of purposes.
“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of YHWH [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a contrary mouth, I have hated.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14 Counsel and substance [are] mine, I [am] understanding, I have might.
Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of earth.
By me princes rule, nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17 I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly find me.
I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 Wealth and honor [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
With me are riches, honour, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19 My fruit [is] better than gold, even fine gold, And my increase than choice silver.
My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.
20 I cause to walk in a path of righteousness, In midst of paths of judgment,
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,
21 To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Indeed, I fill their treasures.
that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
22 YHWH possessed me—the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.
23 I was anointed from the age, from the first, From former states of the earth.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.
24 In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;
26 While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
28 In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,
29 In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters do not transgress His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight—day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.
32 And now, you sons, listen to me, Indeed, blessed are they who keep my ways.
“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not slight.
Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.
34 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.
Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
35 For whoever is finding me, has found life, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favour from the LORD.
36 And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!”
But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”
