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
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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