Proverbs 8
8
Wisdom Calls
1Does not wisdom call,
and understanding raise its voice?
2Atop the heights#Literally “At a head of the heights” beside the road,
at the crossroads she stands.
3Beside gates, before towns,
at the entrance of doors, she cries out:
4“To you, O people,#Literally “men” I call,
and my cry is to the children of humankind.
5Learn prudence, O simple ones;
fools, learn intelligence.#Literally “heart”
6Listen! For noble things I will speak,
and upright things from the opening of my lips.
7My mouth will utter truth,
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All sayings of my mouth are in righteousness;
none of them are twisted and crooked.
9All of them are straight to him who understands,
and upright to those who find knowledge.
10Take my teaching and not silver;
may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than jewels,
and all desires shall not compare with her.
12I, wisdom, live with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13The fear of Yahweh is hatred of evil,
pride, and arrogance and an evil way.
And I hate a mouth of perversity.
14Advice and sound judgment#Literally “To/for me are advice and sound judgment” are mine;
I am understanding, strength is mine.#Literally “to/for me is strength”
15By me kings reign,
and rulers decree righteousness.
16By me rulers rule,
and nobles—all judges of righteousness.
17I love those who love me,#Literally “her lovers”
and those who seek me diligently shall find me.
18Fortune and glory are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold,#Literally “fine gold” even refined gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20In the way of righteousness I walk,
in the midst of paths of justice,
21in order to endow those who love me with wealth,
and I will fill their treasuries.
Wisdom at Creation
22“Yahweh possessed#Or “gained,” or “acquired” me, the first of his ways,
before his acts of old.#Literally “from before” or “from then”
23From eternity, I was set up from the first,
from the beginning#Hebrew “beginnings” of the earth.
24When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
when there were no springs of abounding#Literally “made heavy” water.
25Before mountains had been shaped,
before hills, I was brought forth.
26When he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the first dust of the world,
27when he established#Literally “in his establishing” the heavens, there I was,
when he drew#Literally “in his drawing” a circle upon the face of the deep,
28when he made#Literally “in his making” skies from above,
when he founded fountains of the deep,
29when he assigned#Literally “in his assigning” his limits to the sea,
that waters shall not transgress his command,#Literally “mouth”
when he marked#Literally “in his marking” the foundations of the earth,
30I was beside#Literally “at the place of” him, a master workman,
and I was delighting day by day,
rejoicing before him always,#Literally “in all of time”
31rejoicing in the world of his earth,
and my delight was with the children of humankind.
Benefits of Following Wisdom
32“And now, children, listen to me;
happy are those who will keep my ways.
33Hear teaching and be wise;
do not neglect it.
34Happy is the person who listens to me,
in order to keep watch at my doors day by day,
in order to guard the frames of my entrances.
35For he who finds me is he who finds#Hebrew “those who find” life,
and he obtains favor from Yahweh.
36But he who misses me injures himself.#Or “soul,” or “inner self”
All those who hate me love death.”
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Proverbs 8
8
Wisdom and Folly
1Doth not wisdom cry?
And understanding put forth her voice?
2She standeth in the top of high places, by the way
In the places of the paths.
3She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors.
4Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of man.
5O ye simple, understand wisdom:
And, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;
And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7For my mouth shall speak truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9They are all plain to him that understandeth,
And right to them that find knowledge.
10Receive my instruction, and not silver;
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12I wisdom dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the froward mouth, do I hate.
14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom:
I am understanding; I have strength.
15By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
16By me princes rule,
And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17I love them that love me;
And those that seek me early shall find me.
18Riches and honour are with me;
Yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
And my revenue than choice silver.
20I lead in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of judgment:
21That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;
And I will fill their treasures.
22The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way,
Before his works of old.
23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
Or ever the earth was.
24When there were no depths, I was brought forth;
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth:
26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27When he prepared the heavens, I was there:
When he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28When he established the clouds above:
When he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29When he gave to the sea his decree,
That the waters should not pass his commandment:
When he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him:
And I was daily his delight,
Rejoicing always before him;
31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
And my delights were with the sons of men.
32Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children:
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
33Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
34Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.
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