Proverbs 8

1 Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?

Isn't wisdom calling? Isn't understanding raising her voice?

2 At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:

On the top of the hill by the road, she stands up at the crossroads.

3 Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —

Beside the gates of the town, right there at the entrance, she cries out:

4 Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;

“I'm calling out to you, everyone! My call is to everyone in the whole world!

5 Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;

If you're immature, learn how to grow up. If you're stupid, learn what makes good sense.

6 Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;

Listen to me because I have valuable things to explain to you.

7 For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;

I say what's right, because I tell the truth and I hate wickedness in all its forms.

8 In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;

All the words I say are true; none are false or misleading.

9 All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.

My words are straightforward to anyone with understanding; they are correct to those who have knowledge.

10 Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.

Choose my instruction over silver; choose knowledge over pure gold.

11 For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.

For wisdom is more valuable than rubies; everything you could ever want just doesn't compare!

12 I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.

I, wisdom, am at home with good decisions. I know how to find knowledge and discernment.

13 The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.

Honoring the Lord means hating evil. So I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behavior and telling lies.

14 Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:

I have advice and good judgment; I know what makes sense, and I have power.

15 By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;

It's because of me that kings reign, and rulers issue fair decrees.

16 By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:

It's because of me that leaders and nobles govern—all who rule justly.

17 I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:

I love those who love me, and those who really look for me will find me.

18 Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;

With me go riches and honor, lasting wealth and prosperity.

19 Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;

The fruit I produce is better than gold, even pure gold, and my harvest is better than even the best silver.

20 In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:

I live in a way that's right; I follow the paths of justice.

21 That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.

I grant wealth to those who love me; I fill their treasure storehouses.

22 Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;

The Lord created me first of all; I was made before anything else.

23 At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;

I was formed a long time ago, at the first, before the world began.

24 When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;

I was born when there were no ocean depths, when there were no springs pouring out water.

25 Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;

I was born before the mountains or the hills had been formed,

26 Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:

when he hadn't made the earth and its fields or any of the earth's dust.

27 When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;

I was there when he placed the heavens in position, when he drew the horizon over the ocean,

28 When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;

when he made the clouds in the sky above, when he created the springs of the oceans,

29 When he fixed for the sea its bound, that, the waters, should not go beyond his bidding, when he decreed the foundations of the earth: —

when he set limits on the sea so that the waters would not go farther than he ordered, and when he laid out the foundations of the earth.

30 Then became I beside him, a firm and sure worker, then became I filled with delight, day by day, exulting before him on every occasion;

Then I was beside him as a master craftsman. I made him happy every day, and I was always full of joy in his presence.

31 Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.

I was so happy in the world he created, celebrating together with human beings.

32 Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!

And now, my sons, listen to me, for happy are those who follow my ways.

33 Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.

Listen to my instruction and be wise—do not reject it.

34 How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;

Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me every day at my doors, waiting at my entrance way.

35 For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;

For those who find me, find life, and are accepted by the Lord.

36 But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.

But those who don't find me hurt themselves; everyone who hates me loves death.”