Призыв мудрости

Разве это не мудрость зовет?
    Разве это не разум возвышает голос?
На возвышенностях при дороге,
    на распутьях она встает;
у ворот, что ведут в город,
    и у входов она кричит:
«К вам, о люди, взываю я,
    крик мой – к роду людскому!
Простаки, научитесь предусмотрительности;
    глупые, научитесь разуму.
Слушайте, так как я говорю о важном[a],
    открываю уста, чтобы возвестить правду.
Мой язык изречет истину,
    ведь нечестие мерзко моим устам.
Все слова моих уст праведны –
    ни заблуждения нет в них, ни лжи.
Все они верны[b] для разумных
    и справедливы[c] для тех, кто обрел знание.
10 Предпочтите наставление мое серебру,
    знание – наилучшему золоту,
11 потому что мудрость дороже драгоценных камней,
    и ничто из желаемого тобой с ней не сравнится.

12 Я, мудрость, обитаю с благоразумием[d],
    обладаю знанием и рассудительностью.
13 Страх перед Господом заключается в том,
    чтобы ненавидеть зло.
    Ненавижу гордость и высокомерие,
    порочный путь и лживую речь.
14 Добрый совет и жизненная мудрость – мои;
    у меня и разум, и сила.
15 Мною правят цари,
    и правители пишут справедливые законы;
16 мною управляют князья, и вельможи,
    и все справедливые судьи[e].
17 Тех, кто любит меня, я люблю;
    те, кто ищет меня, меня найдут.
18 У меня богатство и слава,
    крепкий достаток и благоденствие.
19 Мой плод лучше чистого, наилучшего золота,
    и даю я больше, чем отборное серебро.
20 Я хожу по стезе праведности,
    по тропам правосудия,
21 одаряя достатком тех, кто любит меня,
    наполняя их сокровищницы.

22 Господь создал меня в начале Своих дел[f],
    прежде древнейших Своих деяний;
23 я от века была назначена,
    изначально, прежде начала мира.
24 Я была рождена до существования океанов,
    до появления источников, изобилующих водой;
25 прежде чем горы были возведены,
    прежде холмов я была рождена,
26 когда Он не создал еще ни земли, ни полей,
    ни первых пылинок мира.
27 Я была там, когда небеса воздвигал Он,
    когда начертал горизонт над поверхностью бездны,
28 когда наверху утвердил облака,
    и когда укреплял источники бездны[g];
29 когда ставил Он морю рубеж,
    чтобы воды не преступали Его веления,
и когда размечал основания земли.
30     Тогда я была при Нем как ремесленник;
я была[h] Его ежедневной радостью
    и всегда ликовала пред Ним,
31 ликовала в Его обитаемом мире
    и радовалась о роде людском.

32 Итак, сыновья, послушайте меня;
    блаженны те, кто хранит мои пути.
33 Послушайте моего наставления и будьте мудры;
    не оставляйте его.
34 Блажен тот, кто слушает меня,
    ежедневно бодрствует у моих ворот,
    у дверей моих ждет.
35 Ведь тот, кто найдет меня, найдет жизнь,
    и Господь будет милостив к нему.
36 Но тот, кто упустит меня, повредит себе;
    все ненавидящие меня любят смерть».

Footnotes

  1. 8:6 Или: «великом».
  2. 8:9 Или «открыты».
  3. 8:9 Или «доступны».
  4. 8:12 Смысл этого места в еврейском тексте неясен. Также в ст. 26.
  5. 8:16 Или: «и все судьи земли».
  6. 8:22 Или: «сделал меня началом пути Своего».
  7. 8:28 Или: «океана».
  8. 8:30 Так в одном из древних переводов; в нормативном еврейском тексте этого слова нет.

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.

The Excellence of Wisdom

Does not (A)wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
She takes her stand on the top of the [a]high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
“To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
O you [b]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
Listen, for I will speak of (B)excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
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 (C)For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 (D)The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(E)Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And (F)the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (G)I have strength.
15 (H)By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of [c]the earth.
17 (I)I love those who love me,
And (J)those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 (K)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I [d]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

22 “The(L) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 (M)I have been established 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 (N)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the [e]fields,
Or the [f]primal 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 (O)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When (P)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 (Q)Then I was beside Him as [g]a master craftsman;
(R)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And (S)my delight was with the sons of men.

32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For (T)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 (U)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And (V)obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me (W)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:2 Lit. heights
  2. Proverbs 8:5 naive
  3. Proverbs 8:16 MT, Syr., Tg., Vg. righteousness; LXX, Bg., some mss. and editions earth
  4. Proverbs 8:20 walk about on
  5. Proverbs 8:26 outer places
  6. Proverbs 8:26 Lit. beginning of the dust
  7. Proverbs 8:30 A Jewish tradition one brought up