Proverbs 8
1Thou shalt proclaim wisdom, 1 That understanding may be obedient to thee. 1
2For she is on lofty eminences, 1 And stands in the midst of the ways. 1
3For she sits by the gates of princes, 1 And sings in the entrances, saying, 1
4You, O men, I exhort; 1 And utter my voice to the sons of men. 1
5O ye simple, understand subtlety, 1 And ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge. 1
6Hearken to me; for I will speak solemn truths; 1 And will produce right sayings from my lips. 1
7For my throat shall meditate truth; 1 And false lips are an abomination before me. 1
8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; 1 There is nothing in them wrong or perverse. 1
9They are all evident to those that understand, 1 And right to those that find knowledge. 1
10Receive instruction, and not silver; 1 And knowledge rather than tried gold. 1
11For wisdom is better than precious stones; 1 And no valuable substance is of equal worth with it. 1
12I wisdom have dwelt with counsel and knowledge, 1 And I have called upon understanding. 1
13The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, 1 And insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; 1 And I hate the perverse ways of bad men. 1
14Counsel and safety are mine: 1 Prudence is mine, and strength is mine. 1
15By me kings reign, 1 And princes decree justice. 1
16By me nobles become great, 1 And monarchs by me rule over the earth. 1
17I love those that love me; 1 And they that seek me shall find me. 1
18Wealth and glory belong to me; 1 Yea, abundant possessions and righteousness. 1
19It is better to have my fruit than to have gold and precious stones; 1 And my produce is better than choice silver. 1
20I walk in ways of righteousness, 1 And am conversant with the paths of judgment; 1
21a If I declare to you the things that daily happen, 1 I will remember also to recount the things of old. 1
22The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works. 1
23He established me before time was in the beginning, 1 Before he made the earth:
24even before he made the depths; 1 Before the fountains of water came forth: 1
25Before the mountains were settled, 1 And before all hills, he begets me. 1
26The Lord made countries and uninhabited tracts, 1 And the highest inhabited parts of the world. 1
27When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; 1 And when he prepared his throne upon the winds: 1
28And when he strengthened the clouds above; 1 And when he secured the fountains of the earth: 1
29And when he strengthened the foundations of the earth: 1
30I was by him, suiting myself to him, 1 I was that wherein he took delight; 1 And daily I rejoiced in his presence continually. 1
31For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, 1 And rejoiced among the children of men. 1
32Now then, my son, hear me: 1 Blessed is the man who shall hearken to me, 1 And the mortal who shall keep my ways; 1
34Watching daily at my doors, 1 Waiting at the posts of my entrances. 1
35For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, 1 And in them is prepared favor from the Lord. 1
36But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: 1 And they that hate me love death.