Proverbs 8:22-36

Christian Standard Bible

²² “The Lord acquired^[a] me
at the beginning of his creation,^[b]
before his works of long ago.^(A)
23 I was formed^[c] before ancient times,
from the beginning, before the earth began.^(B)
24 I was born
when there were no watery depths^(C)
and no springs filled with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were established,
prior to the hills,^(D) I was given birth—
²⁶ before he made the land, the fields,
or the first soil on earth.
²⁷ I was there when he established the heavens,^(E)
when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,^(F)
28 when he placed the skies above,
when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,
²⁹ when he set a limit for the sea
so that the waters would not violate his command,^(G)
when he laid out the foundations of the earth.^(H)
30 I was a skilled craftsman^[d] beside him.^(I)
I was his^[e] delight every day,
always rejoicing before him.
³¹ I was rejoicing in his inhabited world,^(J)
delighting in the children of Adam.^(K)

³² “And now, sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy.^(L)
33 Listen to instruction and be wise;^(M)
don’t ignore it.
³⁴ Anyone who listens to me is happy,^(N)
watching at my doors every day,
waiting by the posts of my doorway.
³⁵ For the one who finds me finds life^(O)
and obtains favor from the Lord,^(P)
36 but the one who misses me^[f] harms himself;^(Q)
all who hate me love death.”^(R)