Proverbs 8

¹ Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?

² At the highest point along the road,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

³ Beside the gates leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries out:

⁴ "To you, O people, I call out;
I raise my voice to all humanity.

⁵ You who are naive, learn prudence;
you who are foolish, gain understanding.

⁶ Listen, for I speak of noble things;
from my lips comes what is right.

⁷ My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.

⁸ All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.

⁹ To the discerning, all of them are clear;
they are right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰ Choose my instruction over silver,
knowledge rather than fine gold.

¹¹ For wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.

¹² I, wisdom, dwell with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.

¹³ To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil conduct and perverse speech.

¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have strength.

¹⁵ By me kings reign
and rulers make just decrees.

¹⁶ By me princes govern,
and nobles—all who rule with justice.

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

¹⁸ With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.

¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.

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

²¹ granting an inheritance to those who love me
and filling their treasuries.

²² The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old.

²³ I was formed in ages past,
at the very beginning, before the world began.

²⁴ When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water.

²⁵ Before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth—

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

²⁷ I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸ when he established the clouds above
and fixed the fountains of the deep,

²⁹ when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth—

³⁰ then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,

³¹ rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in the human race."

³² "Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it.

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

³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD.

³⁶ But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
all who hate me love death."