Proverbs 8
1 You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?
2 For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;
3 For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:
4 You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.
5 O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.
6 Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.
7 For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.
9 They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.
10 Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.
11 For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.
12 I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.
13 The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.
14 Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
16 By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
18 Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
19 [It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
20 I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgment;
I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
21 that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.
22 The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.
23 He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.
24 even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.
25 before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:
26 The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:
28 and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:
29 decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:
30 I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;
31 For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.
Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.
33 [Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.
34 watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.
35 For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favor from the Lord.
For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.
36 But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.
