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

Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?

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

She takes her stand on the top of the hill beside the way, where the paths meet.

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

Beside the gates in front of the town, at the open doors, she cries out,

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

“I call to you, O men. My voice is to the sons of men.

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

O child-like ones, learn to use wisdom. O fools, make your mind understand.

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

Listen, for I will speak great things. What is right will come from my lips.

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

For my mouth will speak the truth. My lips hate wrong-doing.

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 right and good. There is nothing in them that is against the truth.

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

They are all clear to him who understands, and right to those who find much learning.

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

Take my teaching instead of silver. Take much learning instead of fine 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 stones of great worth. All that you may desire cannot compare with her.

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

“I, wisdom, live with understanding, and I find much learning and careful thinking.

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 what is sinful. I hate pride, self-love, the way of sin, and lies.

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

I have teaching and wisdom. I have understanding and power.

15 B y me kings reign and rulers decree justice.

By me kings rule and rulers make laws that are fair.

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

By me rulers rule, and all the princes rule on the earth.

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

I love those who love me, and those who look for me with much desire will 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 honor are mine, lasting riches and being right with God.

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

My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold. What I give is better than fine 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 walk in the way that is right with God, in the center of the ways that are fair.

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

I give riches to those who love me, and fill their store-houses.

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

“The Lord made me at the beginning of His work, before His first works long ago.

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

I was set apart long ago, from the beginning, before the earth was.

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

I was born when there were no seas, when there were no pools full of water.

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

I was born before the mountains and hills were in their places.

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

It was before He had made the earth or the fields, or the first 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,

I was there when He made the heavens, and when He drew a mark around the top of the sea.

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

I was there when He put the skies above, and when He put the wells of the waters in their place.

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—

I was there when He marked out the places for the sea, so that the waters would not go farther than what He said. I was there when He marked out the ground for 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,

I was beside Him as the leading workman. I was His joy every day. I was always happy when I was near Him.

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

I was happy in the world, His earth, and found joy in 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.

“So now, O sons, listen to me, for happy are they who keep my ways.

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

Hear my teaching and be wise. Do not turn away from it.

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.

Happy is the man who listens to me, watching every day at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

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

For he who finds me finds life, and gets favor from 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 who misses me hurts himself. All those who hate me love death.”