1 D oesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

Does not skillful and godly Wisdom cry out, and understanding raise her voice ?

2 O n the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

On the top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, stands Wisdom;

3 B eside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

At the gates at the entrance of the town, at the coming in at the doors, she cries out:

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

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

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

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

6 H ear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

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

7 F or my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

For my mouth shall utter truth, and wrongdoing is detestable and loathsome to my lips.

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 righteous (upright and in right standing with God); there is nothing contrary to truth or crooked in them.

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

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

10 R eceive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

Receive my instruction in preference to silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

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

For 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.

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

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

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

The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.

14 C ounsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

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

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

By me kings reign and rulers decree justice.

16 B y me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges and governors of the earth.

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

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

18 W ith me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation, and right standing with God).

19 M y fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than refined gold, and my increase than choice silver.

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

I walk in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), in the midst of the paths of justice,

21 T hat I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

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

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

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

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

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

24 W hen there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.

When there were no deeps, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains laden with water.

25 B efore the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;

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

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

When 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,

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

When He made firm the skies above, when He established the fountains of the deep,

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

When 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—

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

Then I was beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always,

31 R ejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

Rejoicing in His inhabited earth and delighting in the sons of men.

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

Now therefore listen to me, O you sons; for blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who keep my ways.

33 H ear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.

Hear instruction and be wise, and do not refuse or neglect it.

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

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 F or whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh.

For whoever finds me finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord.

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

But he who misses me or sins against me wrongs and injures himself; all who hate me love and court death.