Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
Does not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
She stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to the doors, she crieth aloud.
She cries at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 “To you, O men! do I call, And my voice is to the sons of men!
Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple ones! learn wisdom, And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart!
O all of you simple, understand wisdom: and, all of you fools, be all of you of an understanding heart.
6 Hear, for I speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth speaketh truth, And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in uprightness; There is nothing crooked or deceitful in them;
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing perverse or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to the man of understanding, And right to those who find knowledge.
They are all plain to him that understands, and right to them that find 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 pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with her.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, And the deceitful mouth, do I hate.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; I have strength.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me, And they who seek me early shall find me.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue than choice silver.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of equity.
I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22 “The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was anointed from everlasting, From the beginning, even before the earth was made.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before even the earth was.
24 When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. When there were no springs, abounding with water.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth;
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
While yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he framed the heavens, I was there; When he drew a circle upon the face of the deep;
When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he made firm the sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea its bounds, that the waters should not pass their border; When he marked out the foundations of the earth, —
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then was I by him as a master-builder; I was his delight day by day, Exulting before him at all times;
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was with the sons of men.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 “Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me! For happy are they who keep my ways!
Now therefore hearken unto me, O all of you children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise! Yea, reject it not!
Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Happy the man who hearkeneth to me, Who watcheth day by day at my gates, Who waiteth at the posts of my doors;
Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favor from the LORD;
For whoso finds me finds life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36 But he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
