Proverbs 8

The Commendation of Wisdom

1Does not 1wisdom call, And understanding 2lift up her voice?2On top of 3the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;3Beside the 4gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:4“To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.5O 56naive ones, understand prudence; And, O 7fools, understand 8wisdom.6Listen, for I will speak 9noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal 10right things.7For my 11mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.8All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing 12crooked or perverted in them.9They are all 13straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who 14find knowledge.10Take my 15instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.11For wisdom is 16better than 17jewels; And 18all desirable things cannot compare with her.

12“I, wisdom, 19dwell with prudence, And I find 20knowledge and discretion.13The 21fear of the Lord is to hate evil; 22Pride and arrogance and 23the evil way And the 24perverted mouth, I hate.1425Counsel is mine and 26sound wisdom; I am understanding, 27power is mine.15By me 28kings reign, And rulers decree justice.16By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.17I 29love those who love me; And 30those who diligently seek me will find me.1831Riches and honor are with me, Enduring 32wealth and righteousness.19My fruit is 33better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than 34choicest silver.20I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may 35fill their treasuries.

22“The Lord possessed me 36at the beginning of His way, Before His works 37of old.23From everlasting I was 3839established, From the beginning, 40from the earliest times of the earth.24When there were no 41depths I was 42brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.2543Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was 44brought forth;26While He had not yet made the earth and the 45fields, Nor the first dust of the world.27When He 46established the heavens, I was there, When 47He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became 48fixed,29When 49He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His 50command, When He marked out 51the foundations of the earth;30Then 52I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, 53Rejoicing always before Him,3154Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having 55my delight in the sons of men.

32“Now therefore, O sons, 56listen to me, For 57blessed are they who keep my ways.3358Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.3459Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.35For 60he who finds me finds life And 61obtains favor from the Lord.36But he who 62sins against me 63injures himself; All those who 64hate me 65love death.”