²² “The Lord created me at the beginning^[a] of his work,^[b]
    the first of his acts of long ago.^(A)

¹⁹ The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
    by understanding he established the heavens;^(A)

²⁶ when he made a decree for the rain,
    and a way for the thunderbolt,^(A)
27 then he saw it and declared it;
    he established it and searched it out.
²⁸ And he said to humankind,
‘Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
    and to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”^(B)