Does not awisdom call
, And understanding
1lift
up her voice
?
On top of athe heights
beside
the way
, Where
the paths
meet
, she takes
her stand
;
Beside the agates
, at the opening
to the city
, At the entrance
of the doors
, she cries
out:
"To you, O men, I call
, And my voice
is to the sons
of men
.
"O 1 anaive ones
, understand
prudence
; And, O bfools
, understand
2wisdom
.
"Listen, for I will speak
anoble
things
; And the opening
of my lips
will reveal bright
things
.
"For my amouth will utter
truth
; And wickedness
is an abomination
to my lips
.
"All the utterances
of my mouth
are in righteousness
; There
is nothing
acrooked
or perverted
in them.
"They are all astraightforward
to him who understands
, And right
to those who bfind
knowledge
.
"Take my ainstruction
and not silver
, And knowledge
rather
than
choicest
gold
.
"For wisdom is abetter
than
1jewels
; And ball
desirable
things
cannot
compare
with her.
"I, wisdom, adwell
with prudence
, And I find
bknowledge
and discretion
.
"The afear of the LORD
is to hate
evil
; bPride
and arrogance
and cthe evil
way
And the dperverted
mouth
, I hate
.
" aCounsel is mine and bsound
wisdom
; I am understanding
, cpower
is mine.
"By me akings reign
, And rulers
decree
justice
.
"By me princes rule
, and nobles
, All
who judge
rightly
.
"I alove those who love
me; And bthose who diligently
seek
me will find
me.
" aRiches and honor
are with me, Enduring
bwealth
and righteousness
.
"My fruit is abetter
than
gold
, even pure
gold
, And my yield
better than
bchoicest
silver
.
"I walk in the way
of righteousness
, In the midst
of the paths
of justice
,
To endow those who love
me with wealth
, That I may afill
their treasuries
.
"The LORD possessed
me aat the beginning
of His way
, Before
His works
1of old
.
"From everlasting I was 1 aestablished
, From the beginning
, bfrom the earliest
times
of the earth
.
"When there were no
adepths
I was 1brought
forth
, When there
were no
springs
abounding
with water
.
" aBefore the mountains
were settled
, Before
the hills
I was 1brought
forth
;
While He had not yet made
the earth
and the 1fields
, Nor
the first
dust
of the world
.
"When He aestablished the heavens
, I was there
, When bHe inscribed
a circle
on the face
of the deep
,
When He made firm
the skies
above
, When the springs
of the deep
became
1fixed
,
When aHe set for the sea
its boundary
So that the water
would not transgress
His 1command
, When He marked
out bthe foundations
of the earth
;
Then aI was beside Him, as a master
workman
; And I was daily
His delight
, 1Rejoicing
always
before
Him,
1Rejoicing in the world
, His earth
, And having amy delight
in the sons
of men
.
"Now therefore, O sons
, alisten
to me, For bblessed
are they who keep
my ways
.
" aHeed instruction
and be wise
, And do not neglect
it.
" aBlessed is the man
who listens
to me, Watching
daily
at my gates
, Waiting
at my doorposts
.
"For ahe who finds me finds
life
And bobtains
favor
from the LORD
.
"But he who 1sins against me ainjures
himself
; All
those who bhate
me clove
death
."