Proverbs 8

1Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?

1Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?

1Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?

2At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,

2Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths,

2At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;

3At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,

3Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:

3Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:

4`Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice <FI>is<Fi> unto the sons of men.

4O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.

4I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.

5Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,

5O little ones understand subtlety, and ye unwise, take notice.

5Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.

6Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips <FI>is<Fi> uprightness.

6Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.

6Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.

7For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips <FI>is<Fi> wickedness.

7My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.

7For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.

8In righteousness <FI>are<Fi> all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.

8All my words are just, there is nothing wicked, nor perverse in them.

8All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.

9All of them <FI>are<Fi> plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.

9They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.

9They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.

10Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.

10Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.

10Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.

11For better <FI>is<Fi> wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.

11For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.

11For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.

12I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.

12I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.

12I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.

13The fear of Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.

13The fear of the Lord hateth evil; I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.

13The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.

14Mine <FI>is<Fi> counsel and substance, I <FI>am<Fi> understanding, I have might.

14Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.

14Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.

15By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,

15By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things.

15Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.

16By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.

16By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.

16Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.

17I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.

17I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.

17Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.

18Wealth and honour <FI>are<Fi> with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.

18With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.

18Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.

19Better <FI>is<Fi> my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.

19For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.

19My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.

20In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,

20I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,

20I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:

21To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

21That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.

21So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.

22Jehovah possessed me--the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.

22The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.

22The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.

23From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.

23I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made.

23From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.

24In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy <FI>with<Fi> waters,

24The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived, neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out.

24When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.

25Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.

25The mountains, with their huge bulk, had not as yet been established: before the hills, I was brought forth:

25Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:

26While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.

26He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.

26When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world.

27In His preparing the heavens I <FI>am<Fi> there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,

27When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law, and compass, he enclosed the depths:

27When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:

28In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,

28When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:

28When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:

29In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,

29When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when he balanced the foundations of the earth;

29When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:

30Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight--day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,

30I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;

30Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;

31Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights <FI>are<Fi> with the sons of men.

31Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.

31Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.

32And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.

32Now, therefore, ye children, hear me: blessed are they that keep my ways.

32Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.

33Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.

33Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

33Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.

34O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.

34Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.

34Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.

35For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

35He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord.

35For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.

36And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!

36But he that shall sin against me shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.

36But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.