Proverbs 8

The Commendation of Wisdom

1Does not 1wisdom call, And understanding 2raise 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, people, I call, And my voice is to 5mankind.5You 6naive ones, understand prudence; And, you 7fools, understand 8wisdom!6Listen, for I will speak 9noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal 10right things.7For my 11mouth will proclaim truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.8All the words 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.10Accept my 15instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice 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, arrogance, 23the evil way, And the 24perverted mouth, I hate.1425Advice 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 34choice 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 36created me 37at the beginning of His way, Before His works 38of old.23From eternity I was 3940established, From the beginning, 41from the earliest times of the earth.24When there were no 42ocean depths, I was born, When there were no springs abounding with water.2543Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was born;26While He had not yet made the earth and the 44fields, Nor the first dust of the world.27When He 45established the heavens, I was there; When 46He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became 47fixed,29When 48He set a boundary for the sea So that the water would not violate His 49command, When He marked out 50the foundations of the earth;30Then 51I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was His delight daily, 52Rejoicing always before Him,3153Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having 54my delight in the sons of mankind.

32“Now then, sons, 55listen to me, For 56blessed are those who keep my ways.3357Listen to instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.3458Blessed is the person who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.35For 59one who finds me finds life, And 60obtains favor from the Lord.36But one who 61sins against me 62injures himself; All those who 63hate me 64love death.”