Proverbs 8 - ESV Bible - Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise...

1 Does not ¹wisdom call? Does not ²understanding raise her voice?

2 On ³the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;

3 beside ⁴the gates in front of ⁵the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

4 "To you, O ⁶men, I call, and my cry is to ⁷the children of man.

5 O ⁸simple ones, learn ⁹prudence; O ¹⁰fools, learn sense.

6 Hear, for I will speak ¹¹noble things, and from my lips will come ¹²what is right,

7 for my ¹³mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing ¹⁴twisted or crooked in them.

9 They are all ¹⁵straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

10 ¹⁶Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

11 ¹⁷for wisdom is better than jewels, and ¹⁸all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and ¹⁹discretion.

13 ²⁰The fear of the LORD is ²¹hatred of evil. ²²Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and ²³perverted speech I hate.

14 I have ²⁴counsel and ²⁵sound wisdom; I have insight; ²⁶I have strength.

15 By me ²⁷kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;

16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.^a

17 ²⁸I love those who love me, and ²⁹those who seek me diligently find me.

18 ³⁰Riches and honor are with me, ³¹enduring wealth and ³²righteousness.

19 My fruit is ³³better than ³⁴gold, even fine gold, and my yield than ³⁵choice silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,

21 granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

22 ³⁶"The LORD ³⁷ possessed^b me at the beginning of his work,^c the first of his acts ³⁸of old.

23 Ages ago I was ³⁹set up, at the first, ⁴⁰before the beginning of the earth.

24 When there were no ⁴¹depths I was ⁴²brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains ⁴³had been shaped, ⁴⁴before the hills, I was brought forth,

26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.

27 When he ⁴⁵established the heavens, I was there; when he drew ⁴⁶a circle on the face of the deep,

28 when he ⁴⁷made firm the skies above, when he established^d the fountains of the deep,

29 when he ⁴⁸assigned to the sea its ⁴⁹limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out ⁵⁰the foundations of the earth,

30 then ⁵¹I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his^e⁵²delight, rejoicing before him always,

31 ⁵³rejoicing in his ⁵⁴inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.

32 "And now, ⁵⁵O sons, listen to me: ⁵⁶blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 ⁵⁷Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

34 ⁵⁸Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

35 For ⁵⁹whoever finds me ⁶⁰finds life and ⁶¹obtains favor from the LORD,

36 but he who fails to find me ⁶²injures himself; all who ⁶³hate me ⁶⁴love death."

Proverbs 8 ESV