Proverbs 8
Expanded Bible
Listen to Wisdom
8 ·Wisdom calls to you like someone shouting [L Does not Wisdom call out?];
·understanding raises [Does not Understanding raise…?] her voice.
2 On the ·hilltops [L top of the high places] along the road
and at the crossroads, she ·stands calling [takes her stand].
3 Beside the city gates,
at the entrances into the city, she calls out:
4 “Listen, ·everyone [men], I’m calling out to you;
·I am shouting [my voice goes out] to all ·people [L the sons of humanity].
5 You who are ·uneducated [simpleminded; immature; naive], ·seek wisdom [understand prudence].
You who are foolish, ·get understanding [L take this to heart].
6 Listen, because I have ·important [noble] things to say,
and what I tell you is ·right [virtuous].
7 ·What I say is true [L My mouth utters the truth],
·I refuse to speak evil [L my lips despise wickedness].
8 ·Everything I say is honest [L All the speeches of my mouth are righteous];
nothing I say is ·crooked [twisted] or ·false [perverse].
9 People ·with good sense [who understand] know what I say is ·true [straightforward];
and those ·with [L who seek] knowledge know my words are ·right [virtuous].
10 ·Choose [Take] my ·teachings [instructions; discipline] instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than ·the finest [choice] gold.
11 Wisdom is more precious than ·rubies [or pearls].
Nothing ·you could want is equal to [is more delightful than] it.
12 “I am Wisdom, and I ·have good judgment [dwell with prudence].
I also have knowledge and ·good sense [discretion].
13 ·If you respect the Lord, you will also [L Those who fear/have awe for the Lord] hate evil.
I hate pride and ·bragging [arrogance],
·evil ways [L the path of evil] and ·lies [L a perverse mouth].
14 I have advice and ·good sense [resourcefulness; ability],
and I have understanding and ·power [strength].
15 ·I help kings to govern [L By me kings reign]
and ·rulers [princes] ·to make fair laws [issue just decrees].
16 ·Princes use me to lead [L By me rulers rule],
and ·so do all important people who [nobles] judge fairly [Deut. 34:9; 1 Kin. 3:1–15; Ezra 7:25; Col. 1:16].
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18 Riches and honor are mine to give.
So are lasting wealth and ·success [or righteousness].
19 What I give is better than gold, even the finest gold,
my ·results [yield] better than the purest silver.
20 I ·do what is right [L walk on the way of righteousness]
·and follow [L in the midst of] the path of justice.
21 I ·give wealth to those who love me [L cause those who love me to inherit substance],
filling their houses with treasures.
22 “The Lord ·begot [or acquired; possessed] me ·when he began his work [L at the beginning of his path],
long before he made anything else.
23 I was ·created [formed; woven; or appointed] in the very beginning,
even before the world began.
24 I was ·born [brought forth] ·before there were oceans [L when there were no deeps],
or springs ·overflowing [heavy] with water,
25 before the hills were ·there [L settled],
before the mountains I was ·born [brought forth].
26 God had not made the earth or ·fields [open country],
not even the first ·dust [mud clods; soil] of the earth.
27 I was there when God ·put the skies in place [established the heavens],
when he ·stretched [decreed] the horizon over the ·oceans [deep],
28 when he ·made [thickened; strengthened] the clouds above
and put the deep underground springs in place.
29 I was there when he ·ordered [decreed] the sea
not to go beyond the borders he had set.
I was there when he ·laid [decreed] the earth’s foundation.
30 I was like a ·child [nursling; or craftsman; architect] by his side.
I was ·delighted [playing] every day,
·enjoying [laughing in] his presence all the time,
31 ·enjoying [laughing with the inhabitants of] the whole world,
and ·delighted [playing] with all its people [John 1:1–3; Col. 1:15; C Jesus is associated with personified Wisdom in that both were present with God during creation].
32 “Now, my ·children [L sons], listen to me,
because those who ·follow my ways [guard my path] are happy.
33 Listen to my ·teaching [instruction], and you will be wise;
do not ·ignore [avoid] it.
34 Happy are those who listen to me,
watching at my door every day,
·waiting at my open doorway [L guarding my doorposts].
35 Those who find me find life,
and ·the Lord will be pleased with them [they gain favor from the Lord].
36 Those who ·do not find [miss; or offend] me hurt themselves.
Those who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 8
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
8 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
2 Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.
3 Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
4 O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
6 Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
7 My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
8 All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
9 They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
11 For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
13 The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
15 By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
16 By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
17 I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
18 With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.
19 For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
23 I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
25 The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:
26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
29 When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when be balanced the foundations of the earth;
30 I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
31 Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
32 Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
35 He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
36 But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
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