¶“The LORD created and possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old [were accomplished].
“From everlasting I was established and ordained,
From the beginning, before the earth existed, [I, godly wisdom, existed]. [John 1:1; 1 Cor 1:24]
“When there were no ocean depths I was born,
When there were no fountains and springs overflowing with water.
“Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was born; [Job 15:7, 8]
While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Or the first of the dust of the earth.
“When He established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there;
When He drew a circle upon the face of the deep,
When He made firm the skies above,
When the fountains and springs of the deep became fixed and strong,
When He set for the sea its boundary
So that the waters would not transgress [the boundaries set by] His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth— [Job 38:10, 11; Ps 104:6-9; Jer 5:22]
Then I was beside Him, as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight;
Rejoicing before Him always, [Matt 3:17; John 1:2, 18]
Rejoicing in the world, His inhabited earth,
And having my delight in the sons of men. [Ps 16:3]
¶“Now therefore, O sons, listen to me,
For blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] are they who keep my ways. [Ps 119:1, 2; 128:1, 2; Luke 11:28]
“Heed (pay attention to) instruction and be wise,
And do not ignore or neglect it.
“Blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
“For whoever finds me (Wisdom) finds life
And obtains favor and grace from the LORD.
“But he who fails to find me or sins against me injures himself;
All those who hate me love and court death.”
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