Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?
2 Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
3 By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to the doors, she crieth aloud.
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men! do I call, And my voice is to the sons of men!
"To you men, I call. I send my voice to the sons of humankind.
5 O ye simple ones! learn wisdom, And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart!
You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Hear, for I speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
7 For my mouth speaketh truth, And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
For my mouth speaks truth. 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 crooked 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 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 pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with her.
For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
"I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.
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. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; I have strength.
Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17 I love them that love me, And they who seek me early shall find me.
I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue than choice silver.
My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of equity.
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;
21 I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
22 “The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
"The LORD created 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 the earth existed.
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 springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth;
Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning 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 established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
28 When he made firm the sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,
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 its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out 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 the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,
31 Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was with the sons of men.
Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me! For happy are they who keep my ways!
"Now therefore, son, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise! Yea, reject it not!
Hear instruction, and be wise. Do not refuse it.
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 who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
35 For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favor from the LORD;
For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from the LORD.
36 But he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death."
