8:1 Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice? |
8:2 On the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she standeth; |
8:3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud: |
8:4 Unto you, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of men. |
8:5 O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart. |
8:6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things. |
8:7 For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. |
8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them. |
8:9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge. |
8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold. |
8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it. |
8:12 I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling, And find out knowledge `and' discretion. |
8:13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate. |
8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might. |
8:15 By me kings reign, And princes decree justice. |
8:16 By me princes rule, And nobles, `even' all the judges of the earth. |
8:17 I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me. |
8:18 Riches and honor are with me; `Yea', durable wealth and righteousness. |
8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver. |
8:20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice; |
8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries. |
8:22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. |
8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. |
8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. |
8:25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; |
8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. |
8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, |
8:28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, |
8:29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; |
8:30 Then I was by him, `as' a master workman; And I was daily `his' delight, Rejoicing always before him, |
8:31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men. |
8:32 Now therefore, `my' sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways. |
8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not. |
8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. |
8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah. |
8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death. |