Proverbs 8:1-36
8 Is not wisdom callingand intelligence sending out her voice?
2 On the brows of wayside eminences,at crossroads she takes her stand;
3 At the sides of gates, at the entrances of towns,at the approaches to gateways she holloos
4 “To you, men, I call,and my voice goes to humankind:
5 Appreciate shrewdness, simpletons;fools, provide yourselves with brains.
6 Hear, for I will speak sound sense,and what my lips are opened for shall be correct,
7 Because my throat breathes truthand wrong is an abomination to my lips,
8 All that my mouth says is on the right side,there is nothing tricky and crooked in it,
9 It is all obvious to a man of understandingand plain to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction and not silver—knowledge is preferable to hard gold;
11 For wisdom is a better thing than coraland all valuables are no equivalent for it.
12 * I wisdom am neighbor to shrewdnessand meet the knowledge of effective tactics.
13 The fear of Jehovah is the hate of what is bad;pride and pretentiousness and a bad courseand a mischief-making mouth I hate.
14 Mine are sound policies and sensible ideas;I am discretion, mine is power.
15 By me kings reignand potentates prescribe the right;
16 By me generals commandand nobles, all the judges of earth.
17 I love those who love me,and those who go in quest of me will find me.
18 Riches and honor I have on hand,goodly resources and a right-doer’s standing.
19 My fruit is better than hard gold, red gold,and the produce I reap is preferable to silver.
20 On a highway of right I walk,on midmost paths of justice,
21 Dispensing assets to those who love meand filling their coffers.
22 * “Jehovah framed me first in line,foremost of his works in the past.
23 Of old I was constituted,at first before the origins of earth.
24 * When there were no deeps I came to birth,when there were no springs, sources of water;
25 Earlier than mountains I was planted,before hills I came to birth,
26 When he had not made earth and open spacesand the multitudinous particles of the soil of the world.
27 * When he fastened the sky I was there,when he arched a vault over the face of the deep,
28 When he braced the ether above,when he fortified the springs of the deep,
29 When he set his limit for the seaand water does not overstep his dictate,When he strengthened the foundations of earth,
30 I was master-workman at his sideAnd was taking my pleasure day by day,playing before him at every time,
31 * Playing with nature all over his earth,and my pleasure was among mankind.
32 And now, sons, listen to me—happy are those who keep on my courses.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,and do not neglect it.
34 Happy a man who listens to me,attent at my doors day by day,watching the jambs of my portal,
35 Because he who finds me has found lifeand obtained favor from Jehovah,
36 But he who sins against me is victimizing himself;all who hate me love death.”
Footnotes
^ 8:12 Var. and finds the knowledge
^ 8:22 Lit. framed me first of his course
^ 8:24 Var. springs heavy with water
^ 8:27 Var. face of winds
^ 8:31 Lit. Playing with the cosmos of his earth
