4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice
is to the sons of men.
5 O you
1 simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
‡
6 Listen, for I will speak of
a excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips
will come right things;
‡
7 For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness
is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth
are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse
is in them.
9 They
are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 a For wisdom
is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
‡
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge
and discretion.
13 a The fear of the
Lord is to hate evil;
b Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And
c the perverse mouth I hate.
‡
14 Counsel
is mine, and sound wisdom;
I
am understanding,
a I have strength.
‡
15 a By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
‡
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of
1 the earth.
‡
17 a I love those who love me,
And
b those who seek me diligently will find me.
‡
18 a Riches and honor
are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
‡
19 My fruit
is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I
1 traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
‡
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
22 “The
a Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
‡
23 a I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
‡
24 When
there were no depths I was brought forth,
When
there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 a Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
‡
New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
