1 D oth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

2 A t the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 A t the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

4 ` Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice unto the sons of men.

Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

5 U nderstand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6 H earken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips uprightness.

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

7 F or truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips wickedness.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 I n righteousness all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9 A ll of them plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

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

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

11 F or better wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I , wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 T he fear of Jehovah to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 M ine counsel and substance, I understanding, I have might.

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

15 B y me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 B y me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.

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

17 I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 W ealth and honour with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

19 B etter my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I n a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

21 T o cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 J ehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.

The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 F rom the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 I n there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy waters,

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

25 B efore mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 W hile He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.

While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 I n His preparing the heavens I there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,

When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 I n His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,

When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 I n His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,

When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 T hen I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,

Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 R ejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights with the sons of men.

Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 A nd now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.

Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 H ear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 F or whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

36 A nd whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.