8:1 Does not wisdom call,
And understanding ①raise her voice?
▷ ①Lit give
8:2 On top of the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
8:3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
8:4 “To you, people, I call,
And my voice is to ①mankind.
▷ ①Lit sons of mankind
8:5 You naive ones, understand prudence;
And, you fools, understand ①wisdom!
▷ ①Lit heart
8:6 Listen, for I will speak noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.
8:7 For my mouth will proclaim 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 perverted in them.
8:9 They are all straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
8:10 Accept my instruction and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
8:11 For wisdom is better than ①jewels;
And all desirable things cannot compare with her.
▷ ①Lit corals
8:12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And I find knowledge and discretion.
8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
Pride, arrogance, the evil way,
And the perverted mouth, I hate.
8:14 Advice is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, power is mine.
8:15 By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
8:16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.
8:17 I love those who love me;
And those who diligently seek me will find me.
8:18 Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring wealth and righteousness.
8:19 My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold;
And my yield better than choice silver.
8:20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
8:21 To endow those who love me with wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
8:22 “The LORD ①created me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works ②of old.
▷ ①Or possessed ②Lit from then
8:23 From eternity I was ①established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
▷ ①Or consecrated
8:24 When there were no ocean depths, I was born,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
8:25 Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was born;
8:26 While He had not yet made the earth and the ①fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
▷ ①Lit outside places
8:27 When He established the heavens, I was there;
When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
8:28 When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became ①fixed,
▷ ①Lit strong
8:29 When He set a boundary for the sea
So that the water would not violate His ①command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
▷ ①Lit mouth
8:30 Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was His delight daily,
①Rejoicing always before Him,
▷ ①Or Playing
8:31 ①Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having my delight in the sons of mankind.
▷ ①Or Playing
8:32 “Now then, sons, listen to me,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
8:33 Listen to instruction and be wise,
And do not neglect it.
8:34 Blessed is the person who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
8:35 For one who finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the LORD.
8:36 But one who ①sins against me injures himself;
All those who hate me love death.”
▷ ①Or misses me