NET Bible

The Appeal of Wisdom1

^8:1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? ^8:2 At the top of the prominent places along the way, at the intersection of the paths she has taken her stand; ^8:3 beside the gates opening into the city, at the entrance of the doorways she cries out: ^8:4 “To you, O people, I call out, and my voice calls to all mankind. ^8:5 You who are naive, discern wisdom! And you fools, understand discernment! ^8:6 Listen, for I will speak excellent things, and my lips will utter what is right. ^8:7 For my mouth speaks truth, and my lips hate wickedness. ^8:8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them twisted or crooked. ^8:9 All of them are clear to the discerning and upright to those who find knowledge. ^8:10 Receive my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. ^8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies, and desirable things cannot be compared to her. ^8:12 “I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. ^8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride and the evil way and perverse utterances. ^8:14 Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me; I possess understanding and might. ^8:15 By me, kings reign, and by me, potentates decree righteousness; ^8:16 by me, princes rule, as well as nobles and all righteous judges. ^8:17 I will love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me. ^8:18 Riches and honor are with me, long-lasting wealth and righteousness. ^8:19 My fruit is better than the purest gold, and my harvest is better than choice silver. ^8:20 I walk in the path of righteousness, in the pathway of justice, ^8:21 that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, and that I may fill their treasuries. ^8:22 The Lord created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago. ^8:23 From eternity I have been fashioned, from the beginning, from before the world existed. ^8:24 When there were no deep oceans I was born, when there were no springs overflowing with water; ^8:25 before the mountains were set in place— before the hills—I was born, ^8:26 before he made the earth and its fields, or the top soil of the world. ^8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he marked out the horizon over the face of the deep, ^8:28 when he established the clouds above, when he secured the fountains of the deep, ^8:29 when he gave the sea his decree that the waters should not pass over his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, ^8:30 then I was beside him as a master craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, rejoicing before him at all times, ^8:31 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and delighting in its people. ^8:32 “So now, children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. ^8:33 Listen to my instruction so that you may be wise, and do not neglect it. ^8:34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway. ^8:35 For the one who finds me has found life and received favor from the Lord. ^8:36 But the one who misses me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death.”