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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: LEB

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