Proverbs 8
8
Wisdom’s Appeal
1Doesn’t wisdom#Pr 1:20–21; 9:3,13–15 call out?
Doesn’t understanding make her voice heard?
2At the heights overlooking the road,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand.
3Beside the gates#Jb 29:7 leading into the city,
at the main entrance, she cries out:
4“People, I call out to you;
my cry is to the children of Adam.
5Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;
develop common sense, you who are foolish.
6Listen, for I speak of noble things,
and what my lips say is right.
7For my mouth tells the truth,#Ps 37:30
and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8All the words from my mouth are righteous;
none of them are deceptive or perverse.#Dt 32:5; Pr 2:15; Php 2:15
9All of them are clear to the perceptive,#Pr 14:6
and right to those who discover knowledge.
10Accept my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.#Pr 3:14–15; 8:19; 16:16
11For wisdom is better than jewels,#Jb 28:12–19
and nothing desirable can equal it.#Pr 3:15; 20:15
12I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness
and have knowledge and discretion.#Pr 1:4
13To fear the Lord is to hate evil.#Pr 16:6
I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,
and perverse speech.
14I possess good advice and sound wisdom;#8:14 Or resourcefulness
I have understanding and strength.#Ec 7:19
15It is by me that kings reign#2Ch 1:10; Dn 2:21; Rm 13:1
and rulers enact just law;
16by me, princes lead,
as do nobles and all righteous judges.#8:16 Some Hb mss, LXX read nobles who judge the earth
17I love those who love me,#1Sm 2:30; Jn 14:21
and those who search for me find me.#Pr 1:28; 2:4–5; Jms 1:5
18With me are riches and honor,#Pr 3:16
lasting wealth and righteousness.#Ps 112:3; Mt 6:33
19My fruit is better than solid gold,
and my harvest than pure silver.#Jb 28:15; Pr 3:14; 8:10; 16:16
20I walk in the ways of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22“The Lord acquired#8:22 Or possessed, or made me
at the beginning of his creation,#8:22 Lit way
before his works of long ago.#Gn 1:1; Jb 28:26–28; Ps 104:24
23I was formed#8:23 Or consecrated before ancient times,
from the beginning, before the earth began.#Jn 1:1–3; 17:5
24I was born
when there were no watery depths#Gn 1:2; Pr 3:20
and no springs filled with water.
25Before the mountains were established,
prior to the hills,#Ps 90:2 I was given birth —
26before he made the land, the fields,
or the first soil on earth.
27I was there when he established the heavens,#Pr 3:19
when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,#Jb 26:10
28when he placed the skies above,
when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,
29when he set a limit for the sea
so that the waters would not violate his command,#Jb 38:8–11; Ps 104:9
when he laid out the foundations of the earth.#Jb 38:4–5; Ps 104:5
30I was a skilled craftsman#8:30 Or a confidant, or a child, or was constantly beside him.#Jb 28:20–27; 38–39; Pr 3:19–20; Jr 10:12; 51:15; Zch 13:7; Jn 1:2–3
I was his#8:30 LXX; MT omits his delight every day,
always rejoicing before him.
31I was rejoicing in his inhabited world,#Jb 38:4–7
delighting in the children of Adam.#Heb 2:6–8
32“And now, sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy.#Ps 119:1–2; 128:1; Lk 11:28
33Listen to instruction and be wise;#Pr 4:1
don’t ignore it.
34Anyone who listens to me is happy,#Pr 3:13
watching at my doors every day,
waiting by the posts of my doorway.
35For the one who finds me finds life#Pr 4:4,22; 7:2; 9:11; 12:28; Jn 17:3
and obtains favor from the Lord,#Pr 3:4; 12:2; 13:13; 18:22
36but the one who misses me#8:36 Or who sins against me harms himself;#Pr 15:32
all who hate me love death.”#Pr 11:19; 21:6
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Proverbs 8: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
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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