Proverbs

8 Is not wisdom calling

and intelligence sending out her voice?

2 On the brows of wayside eminences,

at crossroads she takes her stand;

3 At the sides of gates, at the entrances of towns,

at the approaches to gateways she holloos

4 “To you, men, I call,

and my voice goes to humankind:

5 Appreciate shrewdness, simpletons;

fools, provide yourselves with brains.

6 Hear, for I will speak sound sense,

and what my lips are opened for shall be correct,

7 Because my throat breathes truth

and wrong is an abomination to my lips,

8 All that my mouth says is on the right side,

there is nothing tricky and crooked in it,

9 It is all obvious to a man of understanding

and plain to those who find knowledge.

10 Take my instruction and not silver—

knowledge is preferable to hard gold;

11 For wisdom is a better thing than coral

and all valuables are no equivalent for it.

12* I wisdom am neighbor to shrewdness

and meet the knowledge of effective tactics.

13 The fear of Jehovah is the hate of what is bad;

pride and pretentiousness and a bad course

and a mischief-making mouth I hate.

14 Mine are sound policies and sensible ideas;

I am discretion, mine is power.

15 By me kings reign

and potentates prescribe the right;

16 By me generals command

and nobles, all the judges of earth.

17 I love those who love me,

and those who go in quest of me will find me.

18 Riches and honor I have on hand,

goodly resources and a right-doer’s standing.

19 My fruit is better than hard gold, red gold,

and the produce I reap is preferable to silver.

20 On a highway of right I walk,

on midmost paths of justice,

21 Dispensing assets to those who love me

and filling their coffers.

22* “Jehovah framed me first in line,

foremost of his works in the past.

23 Of old I was constituted,

at first before the origins of earth.

24* When there were no deeps I came to birth,

when there were no springs, sources of water;

25 Earlier than mountains I was planted,

before hills I came to birth,

26 When he had not made earth and open spaces

and the multitudinous particles of the soil of the world.

27* When he fastened the sky I was there,

when he arched a vault over the face of the deep,

28 When he braced the ether above,

when he fortified the springs of the deep,

29 When he set his limit for the sea

and water does not overstep his dictate,

When he strengthened the foundations of earth,

30 I was master-workman at his side

And was taking my pleasure day by day,

playing before him at every time,

31* Playing with nature all over his earth,

and my pleasure was among mankind.

32 And now, sons, listen to me—

happy are those who keep on my courses.

33 Hear instruction and be wise,

and do not neglect it.

34 Happy a man who listens to me,

attent at my doors day by day,

watching the jambs of my portal,

35 Because he who finds me has found life

and obtained favor from Jehovah,

36 But he who sins against me is victimizing himself;

all who hate me love death.”