1 D oes not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?

Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?

2 O n top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

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

3 B eside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors:

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

O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

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

Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things;

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

For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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

All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

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

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

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

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

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

For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 “ By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

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

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

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

I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

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

Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness.

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

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver.

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

I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

21 T o endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

22 “ The Lord possessed me at 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 “ From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.

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

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

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

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

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

While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world.

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

When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,

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

When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,

29 W hen 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;

When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth,

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

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

31 R ejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.

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

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways.

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

Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it.

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

Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.

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

For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord;

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

But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”