Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?
2 She standeth on the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors.
Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —
4 To you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.
I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.
That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a circle upon the face of the depth:
When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
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: —
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
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;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken to me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;
35 For whoever findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour from the LORD.
For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.
