1Doth not wisdom cry,
2On the top of high places by the way,
3Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
4Unto you, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of men.
5O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
6Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9They are all plain to him that understandeth,
10Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.
12I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,
13The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil:
14Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge:
15By me kings reign,
16By me princes rule,
17I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.
18Riches and honor are with me; [Yea], durable wealth and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness,
21That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,
22Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his way,
23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
24When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
25Before the mountains were settled,
26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
27When he established the heavens, I was there:
28When he made firm the skies above,
29When he gave to the sea its bound,
30Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight,
31Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.
32Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.
33Hear instruction, and be wise,
34Blessed is the man that heareth me,
35For whoso findeth me findeth life,
36But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: