Proverbs 8
New American Standard Bible
The Commendation of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom call,
And understanding [a]raise her voice?
2 On top of (B)the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the (C)gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, people, I call,
And my voice is to [b]mankind.
5 You (D)naive ones, understand prudence;
And, you (E)fools, understand [c]wisdom!
6 Listen, for I will speak (F)noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal (G)right things.
7 For my (H)mouth will proclaim truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing (I)crooked or perverted in them.
9 They are all (J)straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who (K)find knowledge.
10 Accept my (L)instruction and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is (M)better than [d]jewels;
And (N)all desirable things cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, (O)dwell with prudence,
And I find (P)knowledge and discretion.
13 The (Q)fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(R)Pride, arrogance, (S)the evil way,
And the (T)perverted mouth, I hate.
14 (U)Advice is mine and (V)sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (W)power is mine.
15 By me (X)kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.
17 I (Y)love those who love me;
And (Z)those who diligently seek me will find me.
18 (AA)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring (AB)wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is (AC)better than gold, even pure gold;
And my yield better than (AD)choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 To endow those who love me with wealth,
That I may (AE)fill their treasuries.
22 “The Lord [e]created me (AF)at the beginning of His way,
Before His works [f]of old.
23 From eternity I was [g](AG)established,
From the beginning, (AH)from the earliest times of the earth.
24 When there were no (AI)ocean depths, I was born,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
25 (AJ)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was born;
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the [h]fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
27 When He (AK)established the heavens, I was there;
When (AL)He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became [i]fixed,
29 When (AM)He set a boundary for the sea
So that the water would not violate His [j]command,
When He marked out (AN)the foundations of the earth;
30 Then (AO)I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was His delight daily,
[k]Rejoicing always before Him,
31 [l]Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having (AP)my delight in the sons of mankind.
32 “Now then, sons, (AQ)listen to me,
For (AR)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 (AS)Listen to instruction and be wise,
And do not neglect it.
34 (AT)Blessed is the person who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
35 For (AU)one who finds me finds life,
And (AV)obtains favor from the Lord.
36 But one who [m]sins against me (AW)injures himself;
All those who (AX)hate me (AY)love death.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:1 Lit give
- Proverbs 8:4 Lit sons of mankind
- Proverbs 8:5 Lit heart
- Proverbs 8:11 Lit corals
- Proverbs 8:22 Or possessed
- Proverbs 8:22 Lit from then
- Proverbs 8:23 Or consecrated
- Proverbs 8:26 Lit outside places
- Proverbs 8:28 Lit strong
- Proverbs 8:29 Lit mouth
- Proverbs 8:30 Or Playing
- Proverbs 8:31 Or Playing
- Proverbs 8:36 Or misses me
Proverbs 8
International Standard Version
Wisdom Calls for an Audience
8 Isn’t wisdom calling out;
isn’t understanding raising her voice?
2 On top of the highest places along the road
she stands where the roads meet.
3 Beside the gates, at the city entrance—
at the entrance to the portals she cries aloud:
4 “I’m calling to you, men!
What I have to say pertains[a] to all mankind!
5 Understand prudence, you naïve people;
and gain an understanding heart, you foolish ones.
6 Listen, because I have noble things to say,
and what I have to say[b] will reveal what is right.
7 For my mouth speaks the truth—
wickedness is detestable to me.
8 Everything I have to say is just;
there isn’t anything corrupt or perverse in my speech.[c]
9 Everything I say is sensible to someone who understands,
and correct to those who have acquired knowledge.
10 Grab hold of my instruction in lieu of money
and knowledge instead of the finest gold,
11 because wisdom is better than precious gems[d]
and nothing you desire can compare to it.”
The Way of Wisdom
12 “I, wisdom, am related to[e] prudence.
I know how to be discreet.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.
Pride, arrogance, an evil lifestyle,
and perverted speech I despise.
14 Counsel belongs to me,
along with sound judgment.
I am understanding.
Power belongs to me.
15 Kings reign by me,
and rulers dispense justice through me.
16 By me leaders rule, as do noble officials
and all who govern justly.[f]
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me will find me.
18 Wealth and honor accompany me,
as do enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold,
better[g] than even refined gold,
and my benefit surpasses the purest silver.
20 I walk on the way of righteousness,
along paths that are just,
21 I bequeath wealth to those who love me,
and I will fill their treasuries.”
The Agelessness of Wisdom
22 “The Lord made me as he began his planning,[h]
before his ancient activity commenced.
23 From eternity I was appointed,
from the beginning,
from before there was land.
24 When there were no ocean depths,
I brought them[i] to birth
at a time when there were no springs.
25 Before the mountains were shaped,
before there were hills,
I was bringing them[j] to birth.
26 Even though he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
nor the world’s first grains of dust,
27 when he crafted the heavens,
I was there—
when he marked out a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made the clouds from above,
when the springs of the depths were established,
29 when he set a boundary for the sea
so the waters would not exceed his limits,[k]
when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was with him, his master craftsman—
I was his delight[l] daily,
continuously rejoicing in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his inhabitable world
and taking delight in mankind.”
The Exhortation of Wisdom
32 “So listen to me, children!
Blessed are those who obey me.
33 Listen to instruction and be wise.
Don’t ignore it.
34 Blessed is the person who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting at my doorways—
35 because those who find me find life
and gain favor from the Lord.
36 But whoever sins against me destroys himself;
everyone who hates me loves death.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:4 Lit. My voice is
- Proverbs 8:6 Lit. my open lips
- Proverbs 8:8 Lit. words
- Proverbs 8:11 Or rubies
- Proverbs 8:12 Lit. wisdom, live with
- Proverbs 8:16 So MT; LXX reads and tyrants rule the earth
- Proverbs 8:19 The Heb. lacks better
- Proverbs 8:22 Lit. ways
- Proverbs 8:24 The Heb. lacks them
- Proverbs 8:25 The Heb. lacks them
- Proverbs 8:29 Lit. command
- Proverbs 8:30 So LXX; MT reads was filled with delight
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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