8:1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
8:2 At the top 2 of the elevated places along the way,
at the intersection 3 of the paths she takes her stand;
8:3 beside the gates opening into 4 the city,
at the entrance of the doorways she cries out: 5
8:4 “To you, O people, 6 I call out,
and my voice calls 7 to all mankind. 8
8:5 You who are naive, discern 9 wisdom!
And you fools, understand discernment! 10
8:6 Listen, for I will speak excellent things, 11
and my lips will utter 12 what is right.
8:7 For my mouth 13 speaks truth, 14
and my lips 15 hate wickedness. 16
8:8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; 17
there is nothing in them twisted 18 or crooked.
8:9 All of them are clear 19 to the discerning
and upright to those who find knowledge.
8:10 Receive my instruction 20 rather than 21 silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold.
8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies,
and desirable things cannot be compared 22 to her.
8:12 “I, wisdom, live with prudence, 23
and I find 24 knowledge and discretion.
8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate 25 evil;
I hate arrogant pride 26 and the evil way
and perverse utterances. 27
8:14 Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me; 28
I possess understanding and might.
8:15 Kings reign by means of me,
and potentates 29 decree 30 righteousness;
8:16 by me princes rule,
as well as nobles and 31 all righteous judges. 32
8:17 I love 33 those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
8:18 Riches and honor are with me,
long-lasting wealth and righteousness.
8:19 My fruit is better than the purest gold, 34
and what I produce 35 is better than choice silver.
8:20 I walk in the path of righteousness,
in the pathway of justice,
8:21 that I may cause 36 those who love me to inherit wealth,
and that I may fill 37 their treasuries. 38
8:22 The Lord created 39 me as the beginning 40 of his works, 41
before his deeds of long ago.
8:23 From eternity I was appointed, 42
from the beginning, from before the world existed. 43
8:24 When there were no deep oceans 44 I was born, 45
when there were no springs overflowing 46 with water;
8:25 before the mountains were set in place –
before the hills – I was born,
8:26 before he made the earth and its fields, 47
or the beginning 48 of the dust of the world.
8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he marked out the horizon 49 over the face of the deep,
8:28 when he established the clouds above,
when the fountains of the deep grew strong, 50
8:29 when he gave the sea his decree
that the waters should not pass over his command, 51
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
8:30 then I was 52 beside him as a master craftsman, 53
and I was his delight 54 day by day,
rejoicing before him at all times,
8:31 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, 55
and delighting 56 in its people. 57
8:32 “So now, children, 58 listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
8:33 Listen to my instruction 59 so that you may be wise, 60
and do not neglect it.
8:34 Blessed is the one 61 who listens to me,
watching 62 at my doors day by day,
waiting 63 beside my doorway. 64
8:35 For the one who finds me finds 65 life
and receives 66 favor from the Lord.
8:36 But the one who does not find me 67 brings harm 68 to himself; 69
all who hate me 70 love death.”