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.”
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 8: GW
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
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
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 at the entry to # Lit the mouth of the city,
at the main entrance, she cries out:
4“People, I call out to you;
my cry is to mankind.
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 of 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 compare with 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 competence; # 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. # 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 way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22“The Lord made # Or possessed, or begot me
at the beginning of His creation, # Lit way
before His works of long ago. # Gn 1:1; Jb 28:26-28; Ps 104:24
23I was formed 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.
25I was delivered
before the mountains and hills were established, # Ps 90:2
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 # 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 # 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 human race. # Heb 2:6-8
32“And now, my 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 # Or who sins against me harms himself; # Pr 15:32
all who hate me love death.” # Pr 11:19; 21:6
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.