Proverbs 8
8
1Doesn’t wisdom cry out?
Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way,
where the paths meet, she stands.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4“I call to you men!
I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
5 You simple, understand prudence!
You fools, be of an understanding heart!
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things.
The opening of my lips is for right things.
7 For my mouth speaks truth.
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.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction rather than silver,
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.
12“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling.
Find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.
I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14 Counsel and sound knowledge are mine.
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign,
and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule,
nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17 I love those who love me.
Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18With me are riches, honour,
enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the middle of the paths of justice,
21 that I may give wealth to those who love me.
I fill their treasuries.
22“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work,
before his deeds of old.
23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
before the earth existed.
24When there were no depths, I was born,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was born;
26 while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there.
When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
28when he established the clouds above,
when the springs of the deep became strong,
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,
30 then I was the craftsman by his side.
I was a delight day by day,
always rejoicing before him,
31 rejoicing in his whole world.
My delight was with the sons of men.
32“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,
for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise.
Don’t refuse it.
34Blessed is the man who hears me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting at my door posts.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
and will obtain favour from the LORD.
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul.
All those who hate me love death.”
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Proverbs 8
8
The Blessings of Wisdom
1Does not #See ch. 1:20 wisdom call?
Does not #Job 28:12understanding raise her voice?
2On #ch. 9:3, 14the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3beside #ch. 1:21 the gates in front of #Job 29:7the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4“To you, O #[Ps. 49:1, 2]men, I call,
and my cry is to #[Ps. 49:1, 2]the children of man.
5O #See ch. 1:4 simple ones, learn #ver. 12 prudence;
O #[ch. 1:22]fools, learn sense.
6Hear, for I will speak #[ch. 22:20] noble things,
and from my lips will come #ch. 23:16what is right,
7for my #Ps. 37:30mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing #Deut. 32:5twisted or crooked in them.
9They are all #[ch. 14:6; 1 Cor. 2:10]straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 # ver. 19; ch. 3:14; Ps. 119:72, 127 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 # [ch. 16:16]; See Job 28:12-19 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and #ch. 3:15all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and #ch. 1:4discretion.
13 # [ch. 16:6] The fear of the Lord is #See Ps. 97:10 hatred of evil.
# [ch. 6:17; 16:5] Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and #ch. 2:12; 4:24perverted speech I hate.
14I have #Isa. 11:2; [Isa. 9:6] counsel and #[ch. 2:7] sound wisdom;
I have insight; #Eccles. 7:19; [Ps. 89:19]I have strength.
15By me #[Dan. 2:21; Rom. 13:1; Rev. 19:16]kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.#8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
17 #
Ps. 91:14; John 14:21; [1 Sam. 2:30] I love those who love me,
and #James 1:5; [ch. 1:28]those who seek me diligently find me.
18 # ch. 3:16 Riches and honor are with me,
#
Ps. 112:3; [Matt. 6:33; Luke 16:11; Eph. 3:8] enduring wealth and #Ps. 112:3; [Matt. 6:33; Luke 16:11; Eph. 3:8]righteousness.
19My fruit is #ch. 3:14 better than #ver. 10 gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than #ch. 10:20choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 # See Job 28:25-28 “The Lord #Gen. 14:19, 22; [Ps. 104:24; 136:5] possessed#8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created me at the beginning of his work,#8:22 Hebrew way
the first of his acts #Ps. 93:2of old.
23Ages ago I was #Ps. 2:6 set up,
at the first, #[John 17:5]before the beginning of the earth.
24When there were no #ver. 27, 28; ch. 3:20; Gen. 1:2 depths I was #Job 15:7; Ps. 51:5brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25Before the mountains #Job 38:6 (Heb.) had been shaped,
#
Ps. 90:2
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27When he #ch. 3:19 established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew #Job 26:10a circle on the face of the deep,
28when he #Gen. 1:6made firm the skies above,
when he established#8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain the fountains of the deep,
29when he #Gen. 1:9, 10 assigned to the sea its #See Job 26:10 limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out #See Ps. 104:5the foundations of the earth,
30then #Zech. 13:7; [John 1:1, 2] I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his#8:30 Or daily filled with #Ps. 16:3; [Matt. 3:17]delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 # [Gen. 1:31; Ps. 104:31] rejoicing in his #Isa. 45:18inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32“And now, #ch. 5:7; 7:24; [1 John 3:1] O sons, listen to me:
#
Ps. 119:1, 2; 128:1, 2; [Luke 11:28] blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 # See ch. 4:1 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 # [ch. 3:13] Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35For #ch. 3:18; See ch. 4:22 whoever finds me #John 1:4; 17:3 finds life
and #ch. 12:2; 18:22obtains favor from the Lord,
36but he who fails to find me #[ch. 15:32; 20:2; 29:24] injures himself;
all who #ch. 12:1 hate me #ch. 21:6love death.”
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