‏ Proverbs 8

Wisdom’s Appeal

1 Doesn’t Wisdom a call out?
Doesn’t Understanding make her voice heard?
2 At the heights overlooking the road,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand.
3 Beside the gates b at the entry to
Lit the mouth of
the city,
at the main entrance, she cries out:
4 “People, I call out to you;
my cry is to mankind.
5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;
develop common sense, you who are foolish.
6 Listen, for I speak of noble things,
and what my lips say is right.
7 For my mouth tells the truth, d
and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
none of them are deceptive or perverse. e
9 All of them are clear to the perceptive, f
and right to those who discover knowledge.
10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold. g
11 For wisdom is better than jewels, h
and nothing desirable can compare with it. i
12 I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness
and have knowledge and discretion. j
13 To
fear(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.
fear the Lord is to hate evil. l
I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,
and perverse speech.
14 I possess good advice and competence;
Or resourcefulness

I have understanding and strength. n
15 It is by me that kings reign o
and rulers enact just law;
16 by me, princes lead,
as do nobles and all righteous judges.
Some Hb mss, LXX read nobles who judge the earth

17 I love those who love me, q
and those who search for me find me. r
18 With me are riches and honor, s
lasting wealth and righteousness. t
19 My fruit is better than solid gold,
and my harvest than pure silver. u
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.

22 “The Lord made
Or possessed, or begot
me
at the beginning of His creation,
Lit way

before His works of long ago. x
23 I was formed before ancient times,
from the beginning, before the earth began. y
24 I was born
when there were no watery depths z
and no springs filled with water.
25 I was delivered
before the mountains and hills were established, aa
26 before He made the land, the fields,
or the first soil on earth.
27 I was there when He established the heavens, ab
when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean, ac
28 when He placed the skies above,
when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,
29 when He set a limit for the sea
so that the waters would not violate His command, ad
when He laid out the foundations of the earth. ae
30 I was a skilled craftsman
Or a confidant, or a child, or was constantly
beside Him. ag
I was His
LXX; MT omits His
delight every day,
always rejoicing before Him.
31 I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, ai
delighting in the
everyone/ human race: Literally, sons of man or sons of Adam
human race. ak

32 “And now, my sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy. al
33 Listen to instruction and be wise; am
don’t ignore it.
34 Anyone who listens to me is happy, an
watching at my doors every day,
waiting by the posts of my doorway.
35 For the one who finds me finds life ao
and obtains favor from the Lord, ap
36 but the one who misses me
Or who sins against me
harms himself; ar
all who hate me love death.” as
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