Proverbs 8

The Commendation of Wisdom

1Does not 1wisdomH2451 callH7121, And understandingH8394 2raiseH5414 her voiceH6963?2On topH7218 of 3the heightsH4791 besideH5921 the wayH1870, WhereH1004 the pathsH5410 meetH1007, she takesH5324 her standH5324;3BesideH3027 the 4gatesH8179, at the openingH6310 to the cityH7176, At the entranceH3996 of the doorsH6607, she criesH7442 outH7442:4“To you, peopleH376, I callH7121, And my voiceH6963 is to 5mankindH1121H120.5You 6naiveH6612 onesH6612, understandH995 prudenceH6195; And, you 7foolsH3684, understandH995 8wisdomH3820!6ListenH8085, for I will speakH1696 9nobleH5057 thingsH5057; And the openingH4669 of my lipsH8193 will reveal 10rightH4339 thingsH4339.7For my 11mouthH2441 will proclaimH1897 truthH571; And wickednessH7562 is an abominationH8441 to my lipsH8193.8AllH3605 the wordsH561 of my mouthH6310 are in righteousnessH6664; ThereH369 isH369 nothingH369 12crookedH6617 or pervertedH6141 in them.9They are allH3605 13straightforwardH5228 to him who understandsH995, And rightH3477 to those who 14findH4672 knowledgeH1847.10AcceptH3947 my 15instructionH4148 and not silverH3701, And knowledgeH1847 ratherH4480 thanH4480 choiceH977 goldH2742.11For wisdomH2451 is 16betterH2896 thanH4480 17jewelsH6443; And 18allH3605 desirableH2656 thingsH2656 cannotH3808 compareH7737 with her.

12“I, wisdomH2451, 19dwellH7931 with prudenceH6195, And I findH4672 20knowledgeH1847 and discretionH4209.13The 21fearH3374 of the LordH3068 is to hateH8130 evilH7451; 22PrideH1344, arroganceH1344, 23the evilH7451 wayH1870, And the 24pervertedH8419 mouthH6310, I hateH8130.1425AdviceH6098 is mine and 26soundH8454 wisdomH8454; I am understandingH998, 27powerH1369 is mine.15By me 28kingsH4428 reignH4427, And rulersH7336 decreeH2710 justiceH6664.16By me princesH8269 ruleH8323, and noblesH5081, AllH3605 who judgeH8199 rightlyH6664.17I 29loveH157 those who loveH157 me; And 30those who diligentlyH7836 seekH7836 me will findH4672 me.1831RichesH6239 and honorH3519 are with me, EnduringH6276 32wealthH1952 and righteousnessH6666.19My fruitH6529 is 33betterH2896 thanH4480 goldH2742, even pureH6337 goldH6337; And my yieldH8393 better thanH4480 34choiceH977 silverH3701.20I walkH1980 in the wayH734 of righteousnessH6666, In the midstH8432 of the pathsH5410 of justiceH4941,21To endowH5157 those who loveH157 me with wealthH3426, That I may 35fillH4390 their treasuriesH214.

22“The LordH3068 36createdH7069 me 37at the beginningH7225 of His wayH1870, BeforeH6924 His worksH4659 38ofH3975 oldH3975.23From eternityH5769 I was 3940establishedH5258, From the beginningH7218, 41from the earliestH6924 timesH6924 of the earthH776.24When thereH369 wereH369 noH369 42oceanH8415 depthsH8415, I was bornH2342, When thereH369 wereH369 noH369 springsH4599 aboundingH3513 with waterH4325.2543BeforeH2962 the mountainsH2022 were settledH2883, BeforeH6440 the hillsH1389, I was bornH2342;26WhileH5704 He had not yet madeH6213 the earthH776 and the 44fieldsH2351, NorH3808 the firstH7218 dustH6083 of the worldH8398.27When He 45establishedH3559 the heavensH8064, I was thereH8033; When 46He inscribedH2710 a circleH2329 on the faceH6440 of the deepH8415,28When He madeH553 firmH553 the skiesH7834 aboveH4480H4605, When the springsH5871 of the deepH8415 becameH5810 47fixedH5810,29When 48He setH7760 a boundaryH2706 for the seaH3220 So that the waterH4325 would not violateH5674 His 49commandH6310, When He markedH2710 outH2710 50the foundationsH4144 of the earthH776;30Then 51I was besideH681 Him, as a masterH525 workmanH525; And I was His delightH8191 dailyH3117, 52RejoicingH7832 alwaysH3605H6256 beforeH6440 Him,3153RejoicingH7832 in the worldH8398, His earthH776, And having 54my delightH8191 in the sonsH1121 of mankindH120.

32“NowH6258 then, sonsH1121, 55listenH8085 to me, For 56blessedH835 are those who keepH8104 my waysH1870.3357ListenH8085 to instructionH4148 and beH2449 wiseH2449, And do not neglectH6544 it.3458BlessedH835 is the personH120 who listensH8085 to me, WatchingH8245 dailyH3117 at my gatesH1817, WaitingH8104 at my doorpostsH4201.35For 59one who findsH4672 me findsH4672 lifeH2425, And 60obtainsH6329 favorH7522 from the LordH3068.36But one who 61sinsH2398 against me 62injuresH2554 himselfH5315; AllH3605 those who 63hateH8130 me 64loveH157 deathH4194.”