| 1 | Does not skillful
and
godly Wisdom cry out, and understanding raise her voice [in contrast to the loose woman]? |
| 2 | On the top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, stands Wisdom [skillful and godly]; |
| 3 | At the gates at the entrance of the town, at the coming in at the doors, she cries out: |
| 4 | To you, O men, I call, and my voice is directed to the sons of men. |
| 5 | O you simple
and
thoughtless ones, understand prudence; you [self-confident] fools, be of an understanding heart. |
| 6 | Hear, for I will speak excellent
and
princely things; and the opening of my lips shall be for right things. |
| 7 | For my mouth shall utter truth, and wrongdoing is detestable
and
loathsome to my lips. |
| 8 | All the words of my mouth are righteous (upright and in right standing with God); there is nothing contrary to truth or crooked in them. |
| 9 | They are all plain to him who understands [and opens his heart], and right to those who find knowledge [and live by it]. |
| 10 | Receive my instruction in preference to [striving for] silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, |
| 11 | For skillful
and
godly Wisdom is better than rubies
or
pearls, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. |
| 12 | I, Wisdom [from God], make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion. |
| 13 | The reverent fear
and
worshipful awe of the Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted
and
twisted speech I hate. |
| 14 | I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might
and
power. |
| 15 | By me kings reign and rulers decree justice. |
| 16 | By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges
and
governors of the earth. |
| 17 | I love those who love me, and those who seek me early
and
diligently shall find me. |
| 18 | Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation, and right standing with God). |
| 19 | My fruit is better than gold, yes, than refined gold, and my increase than choice silver. |
| 20 | I [Wisdom] walk in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), in the midst of the paths of justice, |
| 21 | That I may cause those who love me to inherit [true] riches and that I may fill their treasuries. |
| 22 | The Lord formed
and
brought me [Wisdom] forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old. |
| 23 | I [Wisdom] was inaugurated
and
ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed. |
| 24 | When there were no deeps, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains laden with water. |
| 25 | Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth, |
| 26 | While as yet He had not made the land or the fields or the first of the dust of the earth. |
| 27 | When He prepared the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; when He drew a circle upon the face of the deep
and
stretched out the firmament over it, |
| 28 | When He made firm the skies above, when He established the fountains of the deep, |
| 29 | When He gave to the sea its limit
and
His decree that the waters should not transgress [across the boundaries set by] His command, when He appointed the foundations of the earth— |
| 30 | Then I [Wisdom] was
[a]beside Him as a master
and
director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always, |
| 31 | Rejoicing in His inhabited earth and delighting in the sons of men. |
| 32 | Now therefore listen to me, O you sons; for blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who keep my ways. |
| 33 | Hear instruction and be wise, and do not refuse
or
neglect it. |
| 34 | Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. |
| 35 | For whoever finds me [Wisdom] finds life and draws forth
and
obtains favor from the Lord. |
| 36 | But he who misses me
or
sins against me wrongs
and
injures himself; all who hate me love
and
court death. |
Cross references:
-
Proverbs 8:5 : Isa. 32:6.
-
Proverbs 8:11 : Job 28:15; Ps. 19:10; 119:127.
-
Proverbs 8:12 : James 1:5.
-
Proverbs 8:15 : Dan. 2:21; Rom. 13:1.
-
Proverbs 8:17 : I Sam. 2:30; Ps. 91:14; John 14:21; James 1:5.
-
Proverbs 8:18 : Prov. 3:16; Matt. 6:33.
-
Proverbs 8:23 : John 1:1; I Cor. 1:24.
-
Proverbs 8:25 : Job 15:7, 8.
-
Proverbs 8:29 : Job 38:10, 11; Ps. 104:6-9; Jer. 5:22.
-
Proverbs 8:30 : Matt. 3:17; John 1:2, 18.
-
Proverbs 8:31 : Ps. 16:3.
-
Proverbs 8:32 : Ps. 119:1, 2; 128:1, 2; Luke 11:28.
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