Proverbs 8

1 Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?

Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

2 At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:

On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

3 Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —

Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

4 Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;

“I call to you men! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

5 Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;

You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!

6 Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;

Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

7 For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;

For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

9 All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.

They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

10 Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.

Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.

For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

12 I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.

“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

13 The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

14 Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:

Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

15 By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:

By me princes rule, nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

17 I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:

I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

18 Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;

With me are riches, honour, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

19 Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.

20 In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:

I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,

21 That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.

that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

22 Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;

“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

23 At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

24 When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;

When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;

Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;

26 Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:

while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;

When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

28 When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;

when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

29 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: —

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,

30 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;

then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

31 Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.

rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

32 Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!

“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.

Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.

34 How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;

Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

35 For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;

For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favour from the LORD.

36 But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.

But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”