Proverbs - Chapter 8
- Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
- At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
- At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
- `Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice `is' unto the sons of men.
- Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
- Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips `is' uprightness.
- For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips `is' wickedness.
- In righteousness `are' all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
- All of them `are' plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
- Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
- For better `is' wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
- I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
- The fear of Jehovah `is' to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
- Mine `is' counsel and substance, I `am' understanding, I have might.
- By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
- By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
- I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
- Wealth and honour `are' with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
- Better `is' my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
- In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
- To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
- Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
- From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
- In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy `with' waters,
- Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
- While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
- In His preparing the heavens I `am' there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
- In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
- In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
- Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
- Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights `are' with the sons of men.
- And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
- Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
- O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
- For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
- And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
Young's Literal Translation