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

Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

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

On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

3 S he cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors:

Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

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

“To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

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

You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

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

Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

7 F or my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked 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 who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

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

Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

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

For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

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

“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

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

The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

14 C ounsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.

Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

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, All the judges of the earth.

By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

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

I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

18 R iches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness.

With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

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

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

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

I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice;

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

That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

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

“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

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

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

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 born, when there were no springs abounding with water.

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

Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;

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

while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

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

When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

28 W hen He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,

when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

29 W hen 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,

when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

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

then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

31 R ejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.

Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

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

“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

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

Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.

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

Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

35 F or whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord;

For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh.

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

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