Proverbs 8
Good News Translation
In Praise of Wisdom
8 (A)Listen! Wisdom is calling out.
Reason is making herself heard.
2 On the hilltops near the road
and at the crossroads she stands.
3 At the entrance to the city,
beside the gates, she calls:
4 “I appeal to all of you;
I call to everyone on earth.
5 Are you immature? Learn to be mature.
Are you foolish? Learn to have sense.
6 Listen to my excellent words;
all I tell you is right.
7 What I say is the truth;
lies are hateful to me.
8 Everything I say is true;
nothing is false or misleading.
9 To those with insight, it is all clear;
to the well-informed, it is all plain.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver;
choose knowledge rather than the finest gold.
11 (B)“I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels;
nothing you want can compare with me.
12 I am Wisdom, and I have insight;
I have knowledge and sound judgment.
13 To honor the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil ways and false words.
14 I make plans and carry them out.
I have understanding, and I am strong.
15 I help kings to govern
and rulers to make good laws.
16 Every ruler on earth governs with my help,
officials and nobles alike.
17 I love those who love me;
whoever looks for me can find me.
18 I have riches and honor to give,
prosperity and success.
19 What you get from me is better than the finest gold,
better than the purest silver.
20 I walk the way of righteousness;
I follow the paths of justice,
21 giving wealth to those who love me,
filling their houses with treasures.
22 (C)“The Lord created me first of all,
the first of his works, long ago.
23 I was made in the very beginning,
at the first, before the world began.
24 I was born before the oceans,
when there were no springs of water.
25 I was born before the mountains,
before the hills were set in place,
26 before God made the earth and its fields
or even the first handful of soil.
27 (D)I was there when he set the sky in place,
when he stretched the horizon across the ocean,
28 when he placed the clouds in the sky,
when he opened the springs of the ocean
29 and ordered the waters of the sea
to rise no further than he said.
I was there when he laid the earth's foundations.
30 I was beside him like an architect,[a]
I was his daily source of joy,
always happy in his presence—
31 happy with the world
and pleased with the human race.
32 (E)“Now, young people, listen to me.
Do as I say, and you will be happy.
33 Listen to what you are taught.
Be wise; do not neglect it.
34 Those who listen to me will be happy—
those who stay at my door every day,
waiting at the entrance to my home.
35 Those who find me find life,
and the Lord will be pleased with them.
36 Those who do not find me hurt themselves;
anyone who hates me loves death.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:30 an architect; or a little child.
Proverbs 8
Modern English Version
The Virtue of Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom cry out,
and understanding lift up her voice?
2 She stands on the top of high places,
by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She cries out at the gates,
at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you simple, understand wisdom,
and you fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Hear, for I will speak of excellent things,
and from the opening of my lips will be right things;
7 for my mouth will speak truth,
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
and right to those who 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 and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
pride and arrogance
and the evil way and the perverse mouth 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 those who love me,
and those who seek me early will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
yes, enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold,
yes, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness,
in the midst of the paths of justice,
21 that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
and I will fill their treasuries.
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, before there was ever an earth.
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 I was brought forth;
26 while as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
or the first dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
when He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
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 listen to me, O you children,
for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise,
and do not refuse it.
34 Blessed is the man who hears me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
and will obtain favor of the Lord;
36 but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
all those who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 8
Common English Bible
Wisdom’s autobiography
8 Doesn’t Wisdom cry out
and Understanding shout?
2 Atop the heights along the path,
at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 By the gate before the city,
at the entrances she shouts:
4 I cry out to you, people;
my voice goes out to all of humanity.
5 Understand skill, you who are naive.
Take this to heart, you fools.
6 Listen, for I speak things that are correct;
from my lips comes what is right.
7 My mouth utters the truth;
my lips despise wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
nothing in them is twisted or crooked.
9 All of them are straightforward to those who understand,
and upright for the knowledgeable.
10 Take my instruction rather than silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 Wisdom is better than pearls;
nothing is more delightful than she.
12 I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence;
I have found knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.
I hate pride and arrogance,
the path of evil and corrupt speech.
14 I have advice and ability,
as well as understanding and strength.
15 By me kings rule,
and princes issue righteous decrees.
16 By me rulers govern,
and officials judge righteously.[a]
17 I love those who love me;
those who seek me will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
as well as enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold;
my crops are better than choice silver.
20 I walk on the way of righteousness,
on the paths of justice,
21 to provide for those who love me
and to fill up their treasuries.
22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his way,
before his deeds long in the past.
23 I was formed in ancient times,
at the beginning, before the earth was.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,
when there were no springs flowing with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 before God[b] made the earth and the fields
or the first of the dry land.
27 I was there when he established the heavens,
when he marked out the horizon on the deep sea,
28 when he thickened the clouds above,
when he secured the fountains of the deep,
29 when he set a limit for the sea,
so the water couldn’t go beyond his command,
when he marked out the earth’s foundations.
30 I was beside him as a master of crafts.[c]
I was having fun,
smiling before him all the time,
31 frolicking with his inhabited earth
and delighting in the human race.
32 Now children, listen to me:
Happy are those who keep to my ways!
33 Listen to instruction, and be wise;
don’t avoid it.
34 Happy are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorposts.
35 Those who find me find life;
they gain favor from the Lord.
36 Those who offend me injure themselves;
all those who hate me love death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:16 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 8:26 Heb lacks God.
- Proverbs 8:30 Heb uncertain
Proverbs 8
American Standard Version
8 Doth not wisdom cry,
And understanding put forth her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way,
Where the paths meet, she standeth;
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
4 Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O ye simple, understand prudence;
And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things;
And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth [a]are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 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 unto it.
12 I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,
And find out [b]knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and [c]sound knowledge:
I am understanding; I have might.
15 By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
16 By me [d]princes rule,
And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me;
And those that seek me [e]diligently shall find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me;
Yea, [f]durable wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
And my [g]revenue than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice;
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,
And that I may fill their treasuries.
22 Jehovah [h]possessed me in [i]the beginning of his way,
[j]Before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
Before 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 [k]beginning of the dust of the world.
27 When he [l]established the heavens, I was there:
When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,
28 When he made firm the skies above,
When the fountains of the deep became strong,
29 When he gave to the sea [m]its bound,
That the waters should not transgress his commandment,
When he [n]marked out the foundations of the earth;
30 Then I was by him, as a master workman;
And I [o]was daily his delight,
[p]Rejoicing always before him,
31 [q]Rejoicing in his habitable earth;
And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me;
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 [r]obtain favor of Jehovah.
36 But he that [s]sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:8 Or, are righteousness
- Proverbs 8:12 Or, knowledge of witty inventions
- Proverbs 8:14 Or, effectual working
- Proverbs 8:16 Or, rulers
- Proverbs 8:17 Or, early
- Proverbs 8:18 Or, ancient
- Proverbs 8:19 Or, increase
- Proverbs 8:22 Or, formed
- Proverbs 8:22 Or, as
- Proverbs 8:22 Or, The first of
- Proverbs 8:26 Or, sum
- Proverbs 8:27 Or, prepared
- Proverbs 8:29 Or, his decree
- Proverbs 8:29 Or, appointed
- Proverbs 8:30 Or, had delight continually
- Proverbs 8:30 Or, Sporting
- Proverbs 8:31 Or, Sporting
- Proverbs 8:35 Hebrew draw forth.
- Proverbs 8:36 Or, misseth me
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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