Proverbs 8:1–36

¹Does not wisdom call out,

and understanding raise her voice?

²On the heights overlooking the road,

at the crossroads she takes her stand.

³Beside the gates to the city,

at the entrances she cries out:

⁴“To you, O men, I call out,

and my cry is to the sons of men.

⁵O simple ones, learn to be shrewd;

O fools, gain understanding.^a

⁶Listen, for I speak of noble things,

and the opening of my lips will reveal right.

⁷For my mouth will speak the truth,

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are righteous;

none are crooked or perverse.

⁹They are all plain to the discerning,

and upright to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold.

¹¹For wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire compares with her.

¹²I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence,

and I find knowledge and discretion.

¹³To fear the LORD is to hate evil;

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

¹⁴Counsel and sound judgment are mine;

I have insight and strength.

¹⁵By me kings reign,

and rulers enact just laws;

¹⁶By me princes rule,

and all nobles who govern justly.^b

¹⁷I love those who love me,

and those who seek me early shall find me.

¹⁸With me are riches and honor,

enduring wealth and righteousness.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, pure gold,

and my harvest surpasses choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

²¹bestowing wealth on those who love me

and making their treasuries full.

²²The LORD created me as His first course,^c

before His works of old.

²³From everlasting I was established,

from the beginning, before the earth began.

²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,

when no springs were overflowing with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled,

before the hills, I was brought forth,

²⁶before He made the land or fields,

or any of the dust of the earth.

²⁷I was there when He established the heavens,

when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸when He established the clouds above,

when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

²⁹when He set a boundary for the sea,

so that the waters would not surpass His command,

when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

³⁰Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side,

and His delight^d day by day,

rejoicing always in His presence.

³¹I was rejoicing in His whole world,

delighting together in the sons of men.

³²Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³Listen to instruction and be wise;

do not ignore it.

³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me,

watching daily at my doors,

waiting at the posts of my doorway.

³⁵For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains the favor of the LORD.

³⁶But he who fails to find me harms himself;

all who hate me love death.”