Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
Does wisdom not call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 She standeth on the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
At the head of high places by the way, She has stood between the paths,
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors.
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she cries aloud,
4 To you, O men, I call; and my voice [is] to the sons of man.
“To you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] to the sons of men.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Understand, you simple ones, prudence, And you fools, understand the heart,
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips [shall be] right things.
Listen, for I speak noble things, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.
For my mouth utters truth, And wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth [are] in righteousness; [there is] nothing froward or perverse in them.
All the sayings of my mouth [are] in righteousness, Nothing in them is contrary and perverse.
9 They [are] all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding 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 rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
For wisdom [is] better than rubies, Indeed, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of ingenious inventions.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And I find out a knowledge of purposes.
13 The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
The fear of YHWH [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a contrary mouth, I have hated.
14 Counsel [is] mine, and sound wisdom: I [am] understanding; I have strength.
Counsel and substance [are] mine, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, [even] all the judges of the earth.
By me chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly find me.
18 Riches and honor [are] with me; durable riches and righteousness.
Wealth and honor [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 My fruit [is] better than gold, yes, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
My fruit [is] better than gold, even fine gold, And my increase than choice silver.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment.
I cause to walk in a path of righteousness, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Indeed, I fill their treasures.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
YHWH possessed me—the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
I was anointed from the age, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 When [there were] no depths, I was brought forth; when [there were] no fountains abounding with water.
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth.
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was 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.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
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:
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters do not transgress His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 Then I was by him, [as] one brought up [with him]: and I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him;
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight—day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights [were] with the sons of men.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken to me, O ye children: for blessed [are they that] keep my ways.
And now, you sons, listen to me, Indeed, blessed are they who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not slight.
34 Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
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.
35 For whoever findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor from the LORD.
For whoever is finding me, has found life, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!”
