Proverbs 8
1 Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
Does not Wisdom call out? Does not Understanding raise her voice?
2 At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
On the hilltops beside the road, at the crossroads, Wisdom has taken her stand.
3 beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
Before the gates at the entrance into the city, at the entrances into the city, she calls out.
4 “O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
“It is to you, people, that I call; my voice is for the sons of mankind.
5 O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
You who are naive, learn wisdom; and you who are foolish, you must get an understanding mind.
6 Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
Listen, because I will speak of noble things, and when my lips open I will say upright things.
7 My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
For my mouth speaks what is trustworthy, and wickedness is disgusting to my lips.
8 All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
All the words of my mouth are just; in them is nothing twisted or misleading.
9 They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
All of them are straight for the person who understands; my words are upright for those who find knowledge.
10 Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
Acquire my instruction rather than silver; acquire knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
For Wisdom is better than jewels; no treasure is equal to her.
12 I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
I, Wisdom, live with Prudence, and I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride and arrogance, the evil way, and perverted speech. I hate them.
14 Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
I have good advice and sound wisdom; I am insight; strength belongs to me.
15 Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
By me kings reign, and rulers make laws that are just.
16 Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
By me princes rule, nobles, and all who govern with justice.
17 I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me, find me.
18 With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness.
19 For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold; my produce is better than pure silver.
20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice.
21 so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
As a result, I make those who love me inherit wealth; I fill up their treasuries.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
Yahweh created me at the beginning, the first of his deeds then.
23 I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
In ages long ago I was made—from the first, from the beginnings of the earth.
24 The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
Before there were oceans, I was given birth— before there were springs abounding with water.
25 The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
Before the mountains were settled and before the hills, I was born.
26 Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
I was born before Yahweh had made the earth or the fields, or even the first dust in the world.
27 I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep.
28 when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
I was there when he established the clouds above and when the springs in the deep became fixed.
29 when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth.
I was there when he made his limit for the sea, so the waters should not spread beyond his command, and when there was set the limit for the foundations of the dry land.
30 I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
I was beside him, as a skilled craftsman; I was his delight day after day, always rejoicing before him.
31 playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
I was rejoicing in his whole world, and my delight was in the sons of mankind.
32 Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
Now, my sons, listen to me, for those who keep my ways will be blessed.
33 Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
The one who listens to me will be blessed. He will be watching every day at my doors, waiting beside the posts of my doors.
35 He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
For whoever finds me, finds life, and he will find the favor of Yahweh.
36 But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
But he who fails, harms his own life; all who hate me love death.”
