Proverbs 8
8
Wisdom’s Announcement
1Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise its voice?
2 ⌞Wisdom⌟ takes its stand on high ground,
by the wayside where the roads meet,
3near the gates to the city.
At the entrance ⌞wisdom⌟ sings its song,
4“I am calling to all of you,
and my appeal is to all people.
5You gullible people, learn how to be sensible.
You fools, get a heart that has understanding.
6Listen! I am speaking about noble things,
and my lips will say what is right.
7My mouth expresses the truth,
and wickedness is disgusting to my lips.
8Everything I say is fair,
and there is nothing twisted or crooked in it.
9All of it is clear to a person who has understanding
and right to those who have acquired knowledge.
10Take my discipline, not silver,
and my knowledge rather than fine gold,
11because wisdom is better than jewels.
Nothing you desire can equal it.
Wisdom’s Authority
12“I, Wisdom, live with insight,
and I acquire knowledge and foresight.
13To fear the Lord is to hate evil.
I hate pride, arrogance, evil behavior, and twisted speech.
14Advice and priceless wisdom are mine.
I, Understanding, have strength.
15Through me kings reign,
and rulers decree fair laws.
16Through me princes rule,
so do nobles and all fair judges.
17I love those who love me.
Those eagerly looking for me will find me.
18I have riches and honor,
lasting wealth and righteousness.
19What I produce is better than gold, pure gold.
What I yield is better than fine silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness, on the paths of justice,
21to give an inheritance to those who love me
and to fill their treasuries.
Wisdom as Creator
22“The Lord already possessed me long ago,
when his way began,
before any of his works.
23I was appointed from everlasting
from the first,
before the earth began.
24I was born
before there were oceans,
before there were springs filled with water.
25I was born
before the mountains were settled in their places
and before the hills,
26when he had not yet made land or fields
or the first dust of the world.
27“When he set up the heavens, I was there.
When he traced the horizon on the surface of the ocean,
28when he established the skies above,
when he determined the currents in the ocean,
29when he set a limit for the sea
so the waters would not overstep his command,
when he traced the foundations of the earth,
30I was beside him as a master craftsman.
I made him happy day after day,
I rejoiced in front of him all the time,
31found joy in his inhabited world, and delighted in the human race.
Wisdom as Lifegiver
32“Now, sons, listen to me.
Blessed are those who follow my ways.
33Listen to discipline, and become wise.
Do not leave my ways.
34Blessed is the person who listens to me,
watches at my door day after day,
and waits by my doorposts.
35Whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord.
36Whoever sins against me harms himself.
All those who hate me love death.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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