1 D oes not skillful and godly Wisdom cry out, and understanding raise her voice ?

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

2 O n the top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, stands Wisdom;

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 A t the gates at the entrance of the town, at the coming in at the doors, she cries out:

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

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

Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

5 O you simple and thoughtless ones, understand prudence; you fools, be of an understanding heart.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6 H ear, for I will speak excellent and princely things; and the opening of my lips shall be for right things.

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 F or my mouth shall utter truth, and wrongdoing is detestable and loathsome to my lips.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 A ll the words of my mouth are righteous (upright and in right standing with God); there is nothing contrary to truth or crooked in them.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9 T hey are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 R eceive my instruction in preference to silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

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

11 F or 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.

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I , Wisdom, make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion.

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 T he reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power.

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

15 B y me kings reign and rulers decree justice.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 B y me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges and governors of the earth.

By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me.

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 R iches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation, and right standing with God).

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

19 M y fruit is better than gold, yes, than refined gold, and my increase than choice silver.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), in the midst of the paths of justice,

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

21 T hat I may cause those who love me to inherit riches and that I may fill their treasuries.

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 T he Lord formed and brought me forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old.

The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 W hen there were no deeps, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains laden with water.

When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 B efore the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 W hile as yet He had not made the land or the fields or the first of the dust of the earth.

While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 W hen He prepared the heavens, I was there; when He drew a circle upon the face of the deep and stretched out the firmament over it,

When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 W hen He made firm the skies above, when He established the fountains of the deep,

When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 W hen He gave to the sea its limit and His decree that the waters should not transgress His command, when He appointed the foundations of the earth—

When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 T hen I was beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always,

Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 R ejoicing in His inhabited earth and delighting in the sons of men.

Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 N ow therefore listen to me, O you sons; for blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who keep my ways.

Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 H ear instruction and be wise, and do not refuse or neglect it.

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

34 B lessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 F or whoever finds me finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord.

For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

36 B ut he who misses me or sins against me wrongs and injures himself; all who hate me love and court death.

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.