²² “The Lord possessed me ^(A)at the beginning of His way,
Before His works ^[a]of old.
²³ “From everlasting I was ^[b](B)established,
From the beginning, ^(C)from the earliest times of the earth.
²⁴ “When there were no ^(D)depths I was ^[c]brought forth,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ “^(E)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills I was ^[d]brought forth;
²⁶ While He had not yet made the earth and the ^[e]fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
²⁷ “When He ^(F)established the heavens, I was there,
When ^(G)He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became ^[f]fixed,
²⁹ When ^(H)He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not transgress His ^[g]command,
When He marked out ^(I)the foundations of the earth;
³⁰ Then ^(J)I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,
^[h]Rejoicing always before Him,
^31 [i]Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having ^(K)my delight in the sons of men.

³² “Now therefore, O sons, ^(L)listen to me,
For ^(M)blessed are they who keep my ways.
³³ “^(N)Heed instruction and be wise,
And do not neglect it.
³⁴ “^(O)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
³⁵ “For ^(P)he who finds me finds life
And ^(Q)obtains favor from the Lord.
³⁶ “But he who ^[j]sins against me ^(R)injures himself;
All those who ^(S)hate me ^(T)love death.”