Proverbs 8
1 Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
Does wisdom not call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
At the head of high places by the way, She has stood between the paths,
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she cries aloud,
4 “I call to you men! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
“To you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] to the sons of men.
5 You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!
Understand, you simple ones, prudence, And you fools, understand the heart,
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
Listen, for I speak noble things, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 For my mouth speaks truth. 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 crooked 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 who understands, right to those who find knowledge.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.
Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
For wisdom [is] better than rubies, Indeed, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 “I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And I find out a knowledge of purposes.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
The fear of YHWH [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a contrary mouth, I have hated.
14 Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
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, nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
By me chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of earth.
17 I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly find me.
18 With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
Wealth and honor [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.
My fruit [is] better than gold, even fine gold, And my increase than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,
I cause to walk in a path of righteousness, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Indeed, I fill their treasures.
22 “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds 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, before the earth existed.
I was anointed from the age, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs 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 in place, before the hills, I was born;
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 beginning 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 established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
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 the springs of the deep became strong,
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29 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,
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 the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing 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 his whole world. My delight was 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, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
And now, you sons, listen to me, Indeed, blessed are they who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not slight.
34 Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
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 finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from the LORD.
For whoever is finding me, has found life, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”
And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!”
