1 D oesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise 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 stands.

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 entry doors, she cries aloud:

Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of 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 to the sons of men.

5 Y ou simple, understand prudence. You 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. The opening of my lips is for right things.

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

7 F or my mouth speaks truth. 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 who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

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

10 R eceive my instruction rather than silver; 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. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

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

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

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find 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 fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

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

“ 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; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

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

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

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

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

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

19 M y fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield 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 middle 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 give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

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

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

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

24 W hen there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs 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 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 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 on the surface 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 established the clouds above, when the springs 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 boundary, that the waters should not violate 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 the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing 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 whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

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

32 “ Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who 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. Don’t refuse it.

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

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

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

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

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