²² “The^(A) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
^23 (B)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 (C)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
²⁶ While as yet He had not made the earth or the ^[a]fields,
Or the ^[b]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 (D)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When ^(E)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
^30 (F)Then I was beside Him as ^[c]a master craftsman;
^(G)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
³¹ Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And ^(H)my delight was with the sons of men.

³² “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For ^(I)blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³ Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
^34 (J)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 ^(K)obtains favor from the Lord;
³⁶ But he who sins against me ^(L)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”