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

Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?

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

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

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

Beside the gates in front of the town, at the open doors, she cries out,

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

“I call to you, O men. My voice is to the sons of men.

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

O child-like ones, learn to use wisdom. O fools, make your mind understand.

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

Listen, for I will speak great things. What is right will come from my lips.

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

For my mouth will speak the truth. My lips hate wrong-doing.

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

All the words of my mouth are right and good. There is nothing in them that is against the truth.

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

They are all clear to him who understands, and right to those who find much learning.

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

Take my teaching instead of silver. Take much learning instead of fine gold.

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

For wisdom is better than stones of great worth. All that you may desire cannot compare with her.

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

“I, wisdom, live with understanding, and I find much learning and careful thinking.

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 what is sinful. I hate pride, self-love, the way of sin, and lies.

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

I have teaching and wisdom. I have understanding and power.

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

By me kings rule and rulers make laws that are fair.

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

By me rulers rule, and all the princes rule on the earth.

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

I love those who love me, and those who look for me with much desire will find me.

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

Riches and honor are mine, lasting riches and being right with God.

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

My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold. What I give is better than fine silver.

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

I walk in the way that is right with God, in the center of the ways that are fair.

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

I give riches to those who love me, and fill their store-houses.

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

“The Lord made me at the beginning of His work, before His first works long ago.

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

I was set apart long ago, from the beginning, before the earth was.

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

I was born when there were no seas, when there were no pools full of water.

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

I was born before the mountains and hills were in their places.

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

It was before He had made the earth or the fields, or the first dust of the world.

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

I was there when He made the heavens, and when He drew a mark around the top of the sea.

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

I was there when He put the skies above, and when He put the wells of the waters in their place.

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

I was there when He marked out the places for the sea, so that the waters would not go farther than what He said. I was there when He marked out the ground for 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,

I was beside Him as the leading workman. I was His joy every day. I was always happy when I was near Him.

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

I was happy in the world, His earth, and found joy in the sons of men.

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

“So now, O sons, listen to me, for happy are they who keep my ways.

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

Hear my teaching and be wise. Do not turn away from it.

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.

Happy is the man who listens to me, watching every day at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

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

For he who finds me finds life, and gets favor from the Lord.

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

But he who misses me hurts himself. All those who hate me love death.”