1 D oth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?

Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?

2 O n the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she standeth;

On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

3 B eside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:

Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

4 U nto you, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of men.

“To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.

5 O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.

“O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.

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

“Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

7 F or my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

“For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 A ll the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

“All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

9 T hey are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge.

“They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.

10 R eceive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold.

“Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

11 F or wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.

“For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

12 I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling, And find out knowledge and discretion.

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.

13 T he fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

14 C ounsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.

“ Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

15 B y me kings reign, And princes decree justice.

“By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

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

“By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.

17 I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.

“I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.

18 R iches and honor are with me; Yea, durable wealth and righteousness.

“ Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.

19 M y fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver.

“My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;

“I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

21 T hat I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries.

To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

22 J ehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.

“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was.

“From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

24 W hen there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water.

“When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.

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

“ Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;

26 W hile as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.

27 W hen he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,

“When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

28 W hen he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,

When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,

29 W hen he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth;

When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;

30 T hen I was by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him,

Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,

31 R ejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.

Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

32 N ow therefore, my sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.

“Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways.

33 H ear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not.

“ Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.

34 B lessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.

“ Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

35 F or whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.

“For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the Lord.

36 B ut he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.

“But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.”