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.