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Proverbs 8-9
Legacy Standard Bible
Proverbs 8-9
Legacy Standard Bible
The Blessing of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom call,
And discernment give forth her voice?
2 At the top of (B)the heights upon the way,
Where the pathways meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the (C)gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she makes a shout:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O (D)simple ones, understand prudence;
And, O (E)fools, understand a heart of wisdom.
6 Listen, for I will speak (F)noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal (G)upright things.
7 For my (H)mouth will utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing (I)twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all (J)straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who (K)find knowledge.
10 Take my (L)discipline and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choicest fine gold.
11 For wisdom is (M)better than pearls;
And (N)all desirable things cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, (O)dwell with prudence,
And I find (P)knowledge and discretion.
13 The (Q)fear of Yahweh is to hate evil;
(R)Pride and arrogance and (S)the evil way
And the mouth of [a](T)perverted words, I hate.
14 (U)Counsel is mine and (V)sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (W)might is mine.
15 By me (X)kings reign,
And rulers mark out righteousness.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.
17 I (Y)love those who love me;
And (Z)those who earnestly seek me will find me.
18 (AA)Riches and glory are with me,
Enduring (AB)wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is (AC)better than fine gold, even pure gold,
And my produce better than (AD)choice silver.
20 I walk in the path of righteousness,
In the midst of the pathways of justice,
21 To give those who love me an inheritance of wealth,
That I may (AE)fill their treasuries.
22 “Yahweh possessed me (AF)at the beginning of His way,
Before His deeds [b]of old.
23 From everlasting I was [c](AG)installed,
From the beginning, (AH)from the earliest times of the earth.
24 When there were no (AI)depths I was [d]brought forth,
When there were no springs heavy with water.
25 (AJ)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills I was [e]brought forth;
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields outside,
Nor the first dust of the world.
27 When He (AK)established the heavens, I was there,
When (AL)He marked out a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became strong,
29 When (AM)He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not pass over His [f]command,
When He marked out (AN)the foundations of the earth;
30 Then (AO)I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was a daily delight,
[g]Rejoicing always before Him,
31 [h]Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
(AP)My delight is in the sons of men.
32 “So now, O sons, (AQ)listen to me,
For (AR)blessed are they who keep my ways.
33 (AS)Hear discipline and be wise,
And do not neglect it.
34 (AT)How blessed is the man who hears me,
To watch daily at my doors,
To keep watch at my doorposts.
35 For (AU)he who finds me finds life
And (AV)obtains favor from Yahweh.
36 But he who [i]sins against me (AW)does violence to his own soul;
All those who (AX)hate me (AY)love death.”
Wisdom and Foolishness Call Out
9 Wisdom has (AZ)built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 She has [j](BA)slaughtered her cattle, she has (BB)mixed her wine;
She has also (BC)prepared her table;
3 She has (BD)sent out her maidens, she (BE)calls
From the (BF)tops of the heights of the city:
4 “(BG)Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who (BH)lacks a heart of wisdom she says,
5 “Come, (BI)eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 [k]Forsake your simplicity and (BJ)live,
And (BK)step into the way of understanding.”
7 He who (BL)disciplines a scoffer receives disgrace for himself,
And he who reproves a wicked man receives injury for himself.
8 (BM)Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you,
(BN)Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
9 Give knowledge to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Make a righteous man know it and he will (BO)increase his learning.
10 The (BP)fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For (BQ)by me your days will become many,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise (BR)for yourself,
And if you (BS)scoff, you alone will bear it.
13 The woman of [l]foolishness is (BT)boisterous,
A woman of simplicity, and (BU)does not know anything.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by (BV)the high places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by that way,
Who are making their paths straight:
16 “(BW)Whoever is simple, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks a heart of wisdom she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And (BX)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the [m]dead are there,
That those she called are in the (BY)depths of Sheol.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:13 Lit perversities
- Proverbs 8:22 Lit from then
- Proverbs 8:23 Or consecrated
- Proverbs 8:24 Or born
- Proverbs 8:25 Or born
- Proverbs 8:29 Lit mouth
- Proverbs 8:30 Or Playing
- Proverbs 8:31 Or Playing
- Proverbs 8:36 Or misses me
- Proverbs 9:2 Lit slaughtered her slaughter
- Proverbs 9:6 Or Forsake the simple ones
- Proverbs 9:13 Insolent foolishness of one who fails in wisdom due to willful sin
- Proverbs 9:18 Lit departed spirits
Proverbs 8-9
New International Version
Proverbs 8-9
New International Version
Wisdom’s Call
8 Does not wisdom call out?(A)
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:(B)
4 “To you, O people, I call out;(C)
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple,(D) gain prudence;(E)
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,(F)
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,(G)
11 for wisdom is more precious(H) than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.(I)
12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.(J)
13 To fear the Lord(K) is to hate evil;(L)
I hate(M) pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.(N)
15 By me kings reign
and rulers(O) issue decrees that are just;
16 by me princes govern,(P)
and nobles—all who rule on earth.[b]
17 I love those who love me,(Q)
and those who seek me find me.(R)
18 With me are riches and honor,(S)
enduring wealth and prosperity.(T)
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;(U)
what I yield surpasses choice silver.(V)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,(W)
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.(X)
22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,[c][d]
before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;(Y)
25 before the mountains were settled in place,(Z)
before the hills, I was given birth,(AA)
26 before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.(AB)
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,(AC)
when he marked out the horizon(AD) on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above(AE)
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,(AF)
29 when he gave the sea its boundary(AG)
so the waters would not overstep his command,(AH)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.(AI)
30 Then I was constantly[e] at his side.(AJ)
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.(AK)
32 “Now then, my children, listen(AL) to me;
blessed are(AM) those who keep my ways.(AN)
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen(AO) to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me(AP) find life(AQ)
and receive favor from the Lord.(AR)
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;(AS)
all who hate me love death.”(AT)
Invitations of Wisdom and Folly
9 Wisdom has built(AU) her house;
she has set up[f] its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;(AV)
she has also set her table.(AW)
3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls(AX)
from the highest point of the city,(AY)
4 “Let all who are simple(AZ) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(BA) she says,
5 “Come,(BB) eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.(BC)
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;(BD)
walk in the way of insight.”(BE)
7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(BF)
8 Do not rebuke mockers(BG) or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.(BH)
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.(BI)
10 The fear of the Lord(BJ) is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One(BK) is understanding.(BL)
11 For through wisdom[g] your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.(BM)
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13 Folly is an unruly woman;(BN)
she is simple and knows nothing.(BO)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,(BP)
15 calling out(BQ) to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16 “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(BR) she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!(BS)”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.(BT)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
- Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
- Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
- Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
- Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child
- Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
- Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me
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