The Blessings of Wisdom

Does not (A)wisdom call?
    Does not (B)understanding raise her voice?
On (C)the heights beside the way,
    at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside (D)the gates in front of (E)the town,
    at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
“To you, O (F)men, I call,
    and my cry is to (G)the children of man.
O (H)simple ones, learn (I)prudence;
    O (J)fools, learn sense.
Hear, for I will speak (K)noble things,
    and from my lips will come (L)what is right,
for my (M)mouth will utter truth;
    wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are righteous;
    there is nothing (N)twisted or crooked in them.
They are all (O)straight to him who understands,
    and right to those who find knowledge.
10 (P)Take my instruction instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 (Q)for wisdom is better than jewels,
    and (R)all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and (S)discretion.
13 (T)The fear of the Lord is (U)hatred of evil.
(V)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
    and (W)perverted speech I hate.
14 I have (X)counsel and (Y)sound wisdom;
    I have insight; (Z)I have strength.
15 By me (AA)kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.[a]
17 (AB)I love those who love me,
    and (AC)those who seek me diligently find me.
18 (AD)Riches and honor are with me,
    (AE)enduring wealth and (AF)righteousness.
19 My fruit is (AG)better than (AH)gold, even fine gold,
    and my yield than (AI)choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
    in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
    and filling their treasuries.

22 (AJ)“The Lord (AK)possessed[b] me at the beginning of his work,[c]
    the first of his acts (AL)of old.
23 Ages ago I was (AM)set up,
    at the first, (AN)before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no (AO)depths I was (AP)brought forth,
    when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains (AQ)had been shaped,
    (AR)before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
    or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he (AS)established the heavens, I was there;
    when he drew (AT)a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he (AU)made firm the skies above,
    when he established[d] the fountains of the deep,
29 when he (AV)assigned to the sea its (AW)limit,
    so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out (AX)the foundations of the earth,
30     then (AY)I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his[e] (AZ)delight,
    rejoicing before him always,
31 (BA)rejoicing in his (BB)inhabited world
    and delighting in the children of man.

32 “And now, (BC)O sons, listen to me:
    (BD)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 (BE)Hear instruction and be wise,
    and do not neglect it.
34 (BF)Blessed is the one who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
    waiting beside my doors.
35 For (BG)whoever finds me (BH)finds life
    and (BI)obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me (BJ)injures himself;
    all who (BK)hate me (BL)love death.”

The Way of Wisdom

(BM)Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her (BN)seven (BO)pillars.
She has (BP)slaughtered her beasts; she has (BQ)mixed her wine;
    she has also (BR)set her table.
She has (BS)sent out her young women to (BT)call
    from (BU)the highest places in the town,
(BV)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    (BW)To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, (BX)eat of my bread
    and (BY)drink of (BZ)the wine I have mixed.
Leave (CA)your simple ways,[f] and (CB)live,
    (CC)and walk in the way of insight.”

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
(CD)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    (CE)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction[g] to a wise man, and he will be (CF)still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will (CG)increase in learning.
10 (CH)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and (CI)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me (CJ)your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
12 (CK)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

13 (CL)The woman Folly is (CM)loud;
    she is seductive[h] and (CN)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on (CO)the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are (CP)going straight on their way,
16 (CQ)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 (CR)“Stolen water is sweet,
    and (CS)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know (CT)that the dead[i] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

The Proverbs of Solomon

10 (CU)The proverbs of Solomon.

(CV)A wise son makes a glad father,
    (CW)but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
(CX)Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    (CY)but righteousness delivers from death.
(CZ)The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    (DA)but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
A slack hand (DB)causes poverty,
    (DC)but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who (DD)gathers in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps in harvest is (DE)a son who brings shame.
Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but (DF)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[j]
(DG)The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but (DH)the name of the wicked will rot.
(DI)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
(DJ)Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but he who makes his ways crooked (DK)will be found out.
10 Whoever (DL)winks the eye causes trouble,
    and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 (DM)The mouth of the righteous is (DN)a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked (DO)conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but (DP)love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but (DQ)a rod is for the back of him who (DR)lacks sense.
14 The wise (DS)lay up knowledge,
    but (DT)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
15 (DU)A rich man's wealth is his strong city;
    the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
16 The wage of the righteous leads (DV)to life,
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 Whoever heeds instruction is on (DW)the path to life,
    but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.
19 (DX)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    (DY)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is (DZ)choice silver;
    the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for (EA)lack of sense.
22 (EB)The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.[k]
23 Doing wrong is (EC)like a joke to a fool,
    but (ED)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 (EE)What the wicked dreads (EF)will come upon him,
    but (EG)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When (EH)the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
    but (EI)the righteous is established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 (EJ)The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
    (EK)but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 (EL)The hope of the righteous brings joy,
    (EM)but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 (EN)The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
    but destruction to evildoers.
30 (EO)The righteous will never be removed,
    but (EP)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 (EQ)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous (ER)know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked, (ES)what is perverse.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
  2. Proverbs 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
  3. Proverbs 8:22 Hebrew way
  4. Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  5. Proverbs 8:30 Or daily filled with
  6. Proverbs 9:6 Or Leave the company of the simple
  7. Proverbs 9:9 Hebrew lacks instruction
  8. Proverbs 9:13 Or full of simpleness
  9. Proverbs 9:18 Hebrew Rephaim
  10. Proverbs 10:6 Or but violence covers the mouth of the wicked; also verse 11
  11. Proverbs 10:22 Or and toil adds nothing to it

Wisdom’s Call

Does not wisdom call out?(A)
    Does not understanding raise her voice?
At the highest point along the way,
    where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
beside the gate leading into the city,
    at the entrance, she cries aloud:(B)
“To you, O people, I call out;(C)
    I raise my voice to all mankind.
You who are simple,(D) gain prudence;(E)
    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
    I open my lips to speak what is right.
My mouth speaks what is true,(F)
    for my lips detest wickedness.
All the words of my mouth are just;
    none of them is crooked or perverse.
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

Wisdom has built(AU) her house;
    she has set up[f] its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;(AV)
    she has also set her table.(AW)
She has sent out her servants, and she calls(AX)
    from the highest point of the city,(AY)
    “Let all who are simple(AZ) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(BA) she says,
    “Come,(BB) eat my food
    and drink the wine I have mixed.(BC)
Leave your simple ways and you will live;(BD)
    walk in the way of insight.”(BE)

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(BF)
Do not rebuke mockers(BG) or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.(BH)
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)

Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs(BU) of Solomon:(BV)

A wise son brings joy to his father,(BW)
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,(BX)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(BY)

The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,(BZ)
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.(CA)

Lazy hands make for poverty,(CB)
    but diligent hands bring wealth.(CC)

He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.(CD)

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[h](CE)

The name of the righteous(CF) is used in blessings,[i]
    but the name of the wicked(CG) will rot.(CH)

The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(CI)

Whoever walks in integrity(CJ) walks securely,(CK)
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.(CL)

10 Whoever winks maliciously(CM) causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(CN)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(CO)

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.(CP)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(CQ)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(CR)

14 The wise store up knowledge,(CS)
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.(CT)

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,(CU)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.(CV)

16 The wages of the righteous is life,(CW)
    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.(CX)

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,(CY)
    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(CZ)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.(DA)

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.(DB)

22 The blessing of the Lord(DC) brings wealth,(DD)
    without painful toil for it.(DE)

23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(DF)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dread(DG) will overtake them;(DH)
    what the righteous desire will be granted.(DI)

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
    but the righteous stand firm(DJ) forever.(DK)

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke(DL) to the eyes,
    so are sluggards to those who send them.(DM)

27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,(DN)
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.(DO)

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
    but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.(DP)

29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
    but it is the ruin of those who do evil.(DQ)

30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
    but the wicked will not remain in the land.(DR)

31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(DS)
    but a perverse tongue(DT) will be silenced.

32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,(DU)
    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.(DV)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
  2. Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
  3. Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
  4. 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
  5. Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child
  6. Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
  7. Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me
  8. Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
  9. Proverbs 10:7 See Gen. 48:20.