Proverbs 8

¹Doesn’t wisdom cry out?

Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

²On the top of high places by the way,

where the paths meet, she stands.

³Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,

at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

⁴“I call to you men!

I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

⁵You simple, understand prudence!

You fools, be of an understanding heart!

⁶Hear, for I will speak excellent things.

The opening of my lips is for right things.

⁷For my mouth speaks truth.

Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness.

There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

⁹They are all plain to him who understands,

right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction rather than silver,

knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies.

All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

¹²“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling.

Find out knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil.

I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

¹⁴Counsel and sound knowledge are mine.

I have understanding and power.

¹⁵By me kings reign,

and princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule,

nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

¹⁷I love those who love me.

Those who seek me diligently will find me.

¹⁸With me are riches, honor,

enduring wealth, and prosperity.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,

my yield than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness,

in the middle of the paths of justice,

²¹that I may give wealth to those who love me.

I fill their treasuries.

²²“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work,

before his deeds of old.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,

before the earth existed.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was born,

when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled in place,

before the hills, I was born;

²⁶while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,

nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there.

When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

²⁸when he established the clouds above,

when the springs of the deep became strong,

²⁹when he gave to the sea its boundary,

that the waters should not violate his commandment,

when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

³⁰then I was the craftsman by his side.

I was a delight day by day,

always rejoicing before him,

³¹rejoicing in his whole world.

My delight was with the sons of men.

³²“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³Hear instruction, and be wise.

Don’t refuse it.

³⁴Blessed is the man who hears me,

watching daily at my gates,

waiting at my door posts.

³⁵For whoever finds me finds life,

and will obtain favor from Yahweh.

³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul.

All those who hate me love death.”