Proverbs 8
The Excellence of Wisdom
¹ Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
² On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
³ Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
⁴ “To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
⁵ O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.1
⁶ Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
⁷ For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
⁸ All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
⁹ They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
¹⁰ Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
¹¹ For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
¹² I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
¹³ To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
¹⁶ By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.2
¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
¹⁸ With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
²¹ bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
²² The LORD created me as His first course,3 before His works of old.
²³ From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
²⁴ When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
²⁶ before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
²⁷ I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
²⁹ when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.
³⁰ Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight 4 day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
³¹ I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
³² Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³ Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
³⁴ Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
³⁶ But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”