Proverbs, 8

1. Is not Wisdom calling? Is not Understanding raising her voice?

1. Does not wisdom call, does not understanding raise her voice?

2. On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossways, she takes her stand;

2. On the heights beside the way, in the paths she takes her stand;

3. by the gates, at the entrance to the city, on the access-roads, she cries out,

3. beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

4. 'I am calling to you, all people, my words are addressed to all humanity.

4. "To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the sons of men.

5. Simpletons, learn how to behave, fools, come to your senses.

5. O simple ones, learn prudence; O foolish men, pay attention.

6. Listen, I have something important to tell you, when I speak, my words are right.

6. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right;

7. My mouth proclaims the truth, for evil is abhorrent to my lips.

7. for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8. All the words from my mouth are upright, nothing false there, nothing crooked,

8. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

9. everything plain, if you can understand, straight, if you have acquired knowledge.

9. They are all straight to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge.

10. Accept my discipline rather than silver, and knowledge of me in preference to finest gold.

10. Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold;

11. For Wisdom is more precious than jewels, and nothing else is so worthy of desire.

11. for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12. 'I, Wisdom, share house with Discretion, I am mistress of the art of thought.

12. I, wisdom, dwell in prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

13. (Fear of Yahweh means hatred of evil.) I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behaviour and a lying mouth.

13. The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

14. To me belong good advice and prudence, I am perception: power is mine!

14. I have counsel and sound wisdom, I have insight, I have strength.

15. By me monarchs rule and princes decree what is right;

15. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;

16. by me rulers govern, so do nobles, the lawful authorities.

16. by me princes rule, and nobles govern the earth.

17. I love those who love me; whoever searches eagerly for me finds me.

17. I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

18. With me are riches and honour, lasting wealth and saving justice.

18. Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity.

19. The fruit I give is better than gold, even the finest, the return I make is better than pure silver.

19. My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.

20. I walk in the way of uprightness in the path of justice,

20. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,

21. to endow my friends with my wealth and to fill their treasuries.

21. endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

22. 'Yahweh created me, first-fruits of his fashioning, before the oldest of his works.

22. The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

23. From everlasting, I was firmly set, from the beginning, before the earth came into being.

23. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

24. The deep was not, when I was born, nor were the springs with their abounding waters.

24. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

25. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth;

25. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth;

26. before he had made the earth, the countryside, and the first elements of the world.

26. before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.

27. When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep,

27. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

28. when he thickened the clouds above, when the sources of the deep began to swell,

28. when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,

29. when he assigned the sea its boundaries -- and the waters will not encroach on the shore -- when he traced the foundations of the earth,

29. when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

30. I was beside the master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence,

30. then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,

31. at play everywhere on his earth, delighting to be with the children of men.

31. rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men.

32. 'And now, my children, listen to me. Happy are those who keep my ways.

32. And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.

33. Listen to instruction and become wise, do not reject it.

33. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

34. Blessed, whoever listens to me, who day after day keeps watch at my gates to guard my portals.

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

35. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains the favour of Yahweh;

35. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD;

36. but whoever misses me harms himself, all who hate me are in love with death.'

36. but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death."