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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye 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 things; And the opening of my lips shall be 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 wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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

8 A ll the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse 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 that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 B y me kings reign, And princes 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 of the earth.

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

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 look for me with much desire will find me.

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

Riches and honor are mine, lasting riches and being right with God.

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. What I give is better than fine silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness, 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 that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries.

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

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

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

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

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

24 W hen there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding 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 was I brought forth;

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

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

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

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 the fountains of the deep became strong,

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 bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out 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 by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him,

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 habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.

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

32 N ow therefore, my sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that 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 refuse it not.

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

34 B lessed is the man that heareth 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 whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.

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