Proverbs 8

The Blessings of Wisdom

1  Does not a wisdom call?
Does not b understanding raise her voice?
 2 On c the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
 3 beside d the gates in front of e the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
 4 “To you, O f men, I call,
and my cry is to g the children of man.
 5 O h simple ones, learn i prudence;
O j fools, learn sense.
 6 Hear, for I will speak k noble things,
and from my lips will come l what is right,
 7 for my m mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing n twisted or crooked in them.
 9 They are all o straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
 10  p Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
 11  q for wisdom is better than jewels,
and r all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
 12  “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and s discretion.
 13  t The fear of the  Lord is u hatred of evil.
v Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and w perverted speech I hate.
 14 I have x counsel and y sound wisdom;
I have insight; z I have strength.
 15 By me aa kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
 16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly. ▼
▼ Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint  govern the earth

 17  ac I love those who love me,
and ad those who seek me diligently find me.
 18  ae Riches and honor are with me,
af enduring wealth and ag righteousness.
 19 My fruit is ah better than ai gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than aj choice silver.
 20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
 21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
 22  ak “The  Lord al possessed ▼
▼ Or fathered; Septuagint created
 me at the beginning of his work, ▼
▼ Hebrew way

the first of his acts ao of old.
 23 Ages ago I was ap set up,
at the first aq before the beginning of the earth.
 24 When there were no ar depths I was as brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
 25 Before the mountains at had been shaped,
au before the hills, I was brought forth,
 26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
 27 When he av established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew aw a circle on the face of the deep,
 28 when he ax made firm the skies above,
when he established ▼
▼ The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
 the fountains of the deep,
 29 when he az assigned to the sea its ba limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out bb the foundations of the earth,
 30 then bc I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his ▼
▼ Or  daily filled with
 be delight,
rejoicing before him always,
 31  bf rejoicing in his bg inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
 32  “And now, bh O sons, listen to me:
bi blessed are those who keep my ways.
 33  bj Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
 34  bk Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
 35 For bl whoever finds me bm finds life
and bn obtains favor from the  Lord,
 36 but he who fails to find me bo injures himself;
all who bp hate me bq love death.”
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