Proverbs 8
English Standard Version
The Blessings of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom call?
Does not (B)understanding raise her voice?
2 On (C)the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside (D)the gates in front of (E)the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O (F)men, I call,
and my cry is to (G)the children of man.
5 O (H)simple ones, learn (I)prudence;
O (J)fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak (K)noble things,
and from my lips will come (L)what is right,
7 for my (M)mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing (N)twisted or crooked in them.
9 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.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
- Proverbs 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
- Proverbs 8:22 Hebrew way
- Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:30 Or daily filled with
Proverbs 8
Common English Bible
Wisdom’s autobiography
8 Doesn’t Wisdom cry out
and Understanding shout?
2 Atop the heights along the path,
at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 By the gate before the city,
at the entrances she shouts:
4 I cry out to you, people;
my voice goes out to all of humanity.
5 Understand skill, you who are naive.
Take this to heart, you fools.
6 Listen, for I speak things that are correct;
from my lips comes what is right.
7 My mouth utters the truth;
my lips despise wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
nothing in them is twisted or crooked.
9 All of them are straightforward to those who understand,
and upright for the knowledgeable.
10 Take my instruction rather than silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 Wisdom is better than pearls;
nothing is more delightful than she.
12 I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence;
I have found knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.
I hate pride and arrogance,
the path of evil and corrupt speech.
14 I have advice and ability,
as well as understanding and strength.
15 By me kings rule,
and princes issue righteous decrees.
16 By me rulers govern,
and officials judge righteously.[a]
17 I love those who love me;
those who seek me will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
as well as enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold;
my crops are better than choice silver.
20 I walk on the way of righteousness,
on the paths of justice,
21 to provide for those who love me
and to fill up their treasuries.
22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his way,
before his deeds long in the past.
23 I was formed in ancient times,
at the beginning, before the earth was.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,
when there were no springs flowing with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 before God[b] made the earth and the fields
or the first of the dry land.
27 I was there when he established the heavens,
when he marked out the horizon on the deep sea,
28 when he thickened the clouds above,
when he secured the fountains of the deep,
29 when he set a limit for the sea,
so the water couldn’t go beyond his command,
when he marked out the earth’s foundations.
30 I was beside him as a master of crafts.[c]
I was having fun,
smiling before him all the time,
31 frolicking with his inhabited earth
and delighting in the human race.
32 Now children, listen to me:
Happy are those who keep to my ways!
33 Listen to instruction, and be wise;
don’t avoid it.
34 Happy are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorposts.
35 Those who find me find life;
they gain favor from the Lord.
36 Those who offend me injure themselves;
all those who hate me love death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:16 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 8:26 Heb lacks God.
- Proverbs 8:30 Heb uncertain
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible