1Does not wisdom call, And understanding [73]raise her voice?
2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4“To you, people, I call, And my voice is to [74]mankind.
5You naive ones, understand prudence; And, you fools, understand [75]wisdom!
6Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.
7For my mouth will proclaim truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.
9They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
10Accept my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than [76]jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.
12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.
13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride, arrogance, the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14Advice is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.
15By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
16By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.
17I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.
18Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold; And my yield better than choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
22“The LORD [77]created me at the beginning of His way, Before His works [78]of old.
23From eternity I was [79]established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
24When there were no ocean depths, I was born, When there were no springs abounding with water.
25Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was born;
26While He had not yet made the earth and the [80]fields, Nor the first dust of the world.
27When He established the heavens, I was there; When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became [81]fixed,
29When He set a boundary for the sea So that the water would not violate His [82]command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was His delight daily, [83]Rejoicing always before Him,
31[84]Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of mankind.
32“Now then, sons, listen to me, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
33Listen to instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.
34Blessed is the person who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.
35For one who finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD.
36But one who [85]sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.”