²² The Lord created me at the beginning^[a] of his work,^[b]
    the first of his acts of long ago.
²³ Ages ago I was set up,
    at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,
    when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains had been shaped,
    before the hills, I was brought forth—
²⁶ when he had not yet made earth and fields,^[c]
    or the world’s first bits of soil.
²⁷ When he established the heavens, I was there,
    when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when he made firm the skies above,
    when he established the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ when he assigned to the sea its limit,
    so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
³⁰     then I was beside him, like a master worker;^[d]
and I was daily his^[e] delight,
    rejoicing before him always,
³¹ rejoicing in his inhabited world
    and delighting in the human race.

9 Wisdom has built her house,
    she has hewn her seven pillars.
² She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
    she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
    from the highest places in the town,
⁴ ‘You that are simple, turn in here!’
    To those without sense she says,
⁵ ‘Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Lay aside immaturity,^[f] and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.’