智慧的呼喚

智慧不是在呼喚嗎?
    悟性不是在呐喊嗎?
她在路邊高處站立,
    她在十字街頭停留,
在城門旁,在入口處大喊:
「世人啊,我呼喚你們,
    我向全人類大聲呼籲。
愚昧人啊,要學會謹慎!
    愚頑人啊,要慎思明辨!
你們聽啊,我要說美好的話,
    開口談論正直的事。
我的口傳揚真理,
    我的嘴憎恨邪惡。
我口中的言語公正,
    沒有一句錯謬的話。
我的話,智者明白,哲士認同。
10 要接受我的教誨,而非白銀;
    要選擇知識,而非黃金。
11 因為智慧比寶石更珍貴,
    一切美物都不能與之相比。

12 「我智慧與謹慎同住,
    我擁有知識和明辨力。
13 敬畏耶和華就當憎恨邪惡,
    我憎恨驕傲、狂妄、惡道和謊言。
14 我有謀略和真知,
    又有悟性和能力。
15 君王靠我安邦定國,
    首領藉我秉公行義,
16 王公大臣靠我治理天下,
    官宦貴胄憑我公正斷案。
17 愛我的,我也愛他;
    懇切尋求我的,必能尋見。
18 富貴和尊榮在我,
    恆久的產業和公義也在我。
19 我的果實勝過純金,
    我的出產勝過純銀。
20 我在公義的道上奔走,
    在公平的路上前行。
21 我要賜財富給愛我的人,
    使他們的庫房充盈。

22 「在耶和華造物的起頭,
    在太初萬物被造以前,
    就已經有我。
23 從亙古,從太初,
    大地還沒有形成以前,
    我已經被立。
24 沒有深淵,
    沒有湧流的水泉以前,
    我已經誕生。
25 大山未曾奠定,
    小丘未曾形成,
    我已經出生。
26 那時耶和華還沒有造大地和原野,
    還沒有造一粒塵土。
27 祂鋪設諸天的時候,我已在場。
    祂在深淵上畫出地平線,
28 上使穹蒼堅固,
    下使深淵的泉源安穩,
29 設定滄海的界限,
    使海水不得越過祂定的範圍,
    為大地奠定根基的時候,
30 我就在祂身旁,
    做祂的工程師,
    天天成為祂的喜樂,
    終日在祂面前歡悅,
31 因祂所造的人世而歡悅,
    因祂所造的世人而喜樂。

32 「孩子們啊,你們要聽從我,
    持守我道路的人有福了。
33 要聽從教誨,不可輕忽,
    要做智者。
34 人若聽從我、天天在我門口仰望、
    時時在我門邊等候,就有福了。
35 因為找到我的,便找到了生命,
    他必蒙耶和華的恩惠。
36 沒找到我就是害自己;
    憎恨我就是喜愛死亡。」

Listen to Wisdom

·Wisdom calls to you like someone shouting [L Does not Wisdom call out?];
    ·understanding raises [Does not Understanding raise…?] her voice.
On the ·hilltops [L top of the high places] along the road
    and at the crossroads, she ·stands calling [takes her stand].
Beside the city gates,
    at the entrances into the city, she calls out:
“Listen, ·everyone [men], I’m calling out to you;
    ·I am shouting [my voice goes out] to all ·people [L the sons of humanity].
You who are ·uneducated [simpleminded; immature; naive], ·seek wisdom [understand prudence].
    You who are foolish, ·get understanding [L take this to heart].
Listen, because I have ·important [noble] things to say,
    and what I tell you is ·right [virtuous].
·What I say is true [L My mouth utters the truth],
    ·I refuse to speak evil [L my lips despise wickedness].
·Everything I say is honest [L All the speeches of my mouth are righteous];
    nothing I say is ·crooked [twisted] or ·false [perverse].
People ·with good sense [who understand] know what I say is ·true [straightforward];
    and those ·with [L who seek] knowledge know my words are ·right [virtuous].
10 ·Choose [Take] my ·teachings [instructions; discipline] instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than ·the finest [choice] gold.
11 Wisdom is more precious than ·rubies [or pearls].
    Nothing ·you could want is equal to [is more delightful than] it.

12 “I am Wisdom, and I ·have good judgment [dwell with prudence].
    I also have knowledge and ·good sense [discretion].
13 ·If you respect the Lord, you will also [L Those who fear/have awe for the Lord] hate evil.
    I hate pride and ·bragging [arrogance],
    ·evil ways [L the path of evil] and ·lies [L a perverse mouth].
14 I have advice and ·good sense [resourcefulness; ability],
    and I have understanding and ·power [strength].
15 ·I help kings to govern [L By me kings reign]
    and ·rulers [princes] ·to make fair laws [issue just decrees].
16 ·Princes use me to lead [L By me rulers rule],
    and ·so do all important people who [nobles] judge fairly [Deut. 34:9; 1 Kin. 3:1–15; Ezra 7:25; Col. 1:16].
17 I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me find me.
18 Riches and honor are mine to give.
    So are lasting wealth and ·success [or righteousness].
19 What I give is better than gold, even the finest gold,
    my ·results [yield] better than the purest silver.
20 I ·do what is right [L walk on the way of righteousness]
    ·and follow [L in the midst of] the path of justice.
21 I ·give wealth to those who love me [L cause those who love me to inherit substance],
    filling their houses with treasures.

22 “The Lord ·begot [or acquired; possessed] me ·when he began his work [L at the beginning of his path],
    long before he made anything else.
23 I was ·created [formed; woven; or appointed] in the very beginning,
    even before the world began.
24 I was ·born [brought forth] ·before there were oceans [L when there were no deeps],
    or springs ·overflowing [heavy] with water,
25 before the hills were ·there [L settled],
    before the mountains I was ·born [brought forth].
26 God had not made the earth or ·fields [open country],
    not even the first ·dust [mud clods; soil] of the earth.
27 I was there when God ·put the skies in place [established the heavens],
    when he ·stretched [decreed] the horizon over the ·oceans [deep],
28 when he ·made [thickened; strengthened] the clouds above
    and put the deep underground springs in place.
29 I was there when he ·ordered [decreed] the sea
    not to go beyond the borders he had set.
I was there when he ·laid [decreed] the earth’s foundation.
30     I was like a ·child [nursling; or craftsman; architect] by his side.
I was ·delighted [playing] every day,
    ·enjoying [laughing in] his presence all the time,
31 ·enjoying [laughing with the inhabitants of] the whole world,
    and ·delighted [playing] with all its people [John 1:1–3; Col. 1:15; C Jesus is associated with personified Wisdom in that both were present with God during creation].

32 “Now, my ·children [L sons], listen to me,
    because those who ·follow my ways [guard my path] are happy.
33 Listen to my ·teaching [instruction], and you will be wise;
    do not ·ignore [avoid] it.
34 Happy are those who listen to me,
    watching at my door every day,
    ·waiting at my open doorway [L guarding my doorposts].
35 Those who find me find life,
    and ·the Lord will be pleased with them [they gain favor from the Lord].
36 Those who ·do not find [miss; or offend] me hurt themselves.
    Those who hate me love death.”

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.