Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for 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, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Visheten berättar om sig själv

(A) Hör, visheten ropar

    och förståndet höjer sin röst!
Hon står uppe på höjderna,
    vid vägen där stigarna möts.
Vid portarna in till staden,
    vid ingångarna höjer hon sitt rop:
Till er, ni män, ropar jag,
    min röst går ut
        till människors barn.
(B) Ni som är okunniga,
        lär er klokhet!
    Ni dårar, lär er förstånd!
Lyssna, för jag talar
        om ädla ting[a],
    från mina läppar kommer
        det som är rätt.
(C) Ja, min mun talar sanning,
    mina läppar avskyr gudlöshet.
(D) Min muns alla ord är rättfärdiga,
    i dem finns inget falskt
        eller förvridet.
Allihop är rätta för den förståndige
    och raka för dem
        som har funnit kunskap.
10 (E) Ta emot min förmaning
        hellre än silver
    och kunskap hellre än rent guld,
11 (F) för visheten är bättre än pärlor,
    inga skatter kan jämföras
        med henne.

12 Jag, visheten, bor hos klokheten,
    jag har kunskap
        och gott omdöme.
13 (G) Att vörda Herren
        är att hata det onda.
    Högfärd, högmod,
        ond väg och falsk mun,
            det hatar jag.
14 Hos mig finns råd och insikt[b].
    Jag är förstånd,
        hos mig finns makt.
15 Genom mig regerar kungar
    och stiftar furstar rätta lagar.
16 Genom mig styr härskare
        och hövdingar,
    alla domare på jorden[c].

17 (H) Jag älskar dem som älskar mig,
    och de som söker mig
        ska finna mig.
18 (I) Rikedom och ära finns hos mig,
    bestående[d] skatter
        och rättfärdighet.
19 (J) Min frukt är bättre än guld,
        än finaste guld,
    min skörd är bättre än utvalt silver.
20 Jag vandrar på rättfärdighetens väg,
    mitt på det rättas stigar,
21 för att ge rikedom i arv
        åt dem som älskar mig
    och fylla deras förråd.

22 Herren hade[e] mig
        vid begynnelsen av sin väg,
    före sina gärningar i urtiden.
23 Av evighet är jag insatt,
    från begynnelsen,
        innan jorden fanns.
24 Innan djupen blev till föddes jag,
    innan källorna flödade av vatten.
25 Innan bergen grundades,
    innan höjderna fanns föddes jag,
26 innan han gjort land och fält
    och jordens första stoft.

27 När han beredde himlen
        var jag där,
    när han välvde ett valv[f]
        över djupen,
28 när han fäste skyarna där uppe
    och djupets källor bröt fram
        med kraft,
29 (K) när han satte en gräns för havet
    och vattnet stannade
        där han befallt,
    när han lade jordens grund,
30 då var jag verksam[g]
        vid hans sida.
    Jag var hans glädje dag efter dag,
        ständigt jublande[h] inför honom.
31 Jag jublade över hela hans värld
    och hade min glädje
        hos människors barn.

32 (L) Så lyssna nu till mig, mina barn.
    Saliga är de som följer mina vägar.
33 Lyssna till förmaning och bli visa,
    förkasta den inte.
34 Salig är den människa
        som lyssnar till mig,
    som vakar vid mina dörrar
        dag efter dag
    och håller vakt
        vid mina dörrposter,
35 (M) för den som finner mig finner livet
    och får nåd från Herren.
36 Men den som syndar mot mig
        skadar sin själ,
    alla som hatar mig älskar döden.

Footnotes

  1. 8:6 ädla ting   Annan översättning: ”det som stämmer” (jfr 1 Mos 2:18 med not).
  2. 8:14 insikt   Annan översättning: ”framgång”.
  3. 8:16 domare på jorden   Andra handskrifter: ”rättfärdiga domare”.
  4. 8:18 bestående   Annan översättning: ”uråldriga” eller ”ädla”.
  5. 8:22 hade   Annan översättning: ”fick” (dvs födde, ordet översätts så i 1 Mos 4:1). Nya testamentet kallar Guds vishet för Kristus (1 Kor 1:24, jfr 1 Mos 1:1, Joh 1:1f, Kol 1:15f).
  6. 8:27 välvde ett valv   Annan översättning: ”tecknade en cirkel”.
  7. 8:30 verksam   Annan översättning: ”troget”, ”ett barn” eller ”en konstnär”. Kreativitet förknippas med vishet och Guds Ande (2 Mos 31:3f).
  8. 8:30 jublande   Annan översättning: ”lekande” (även i vers 31).

Wisdom’s Call

Does not wisdom call out?(A)
    Does not understanding raise her voice?
At the highest point along the way,
    where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
beside the gate leading into the city,
    at the entrance, she cries aloud:(B)
“To you, O people, I call out;(C)
    I raise my voice to all mankind.
You who are simple,(D) gain prudence;(E)
    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
    I open my lips to speak what is right.
My mouth speaks what is true,(F)
    for my lips detest wickedness.
All the words of my mouth are just;
    none of them is crooked or perverse.
To the discerning all of them are right;
    they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
    knowledge rather than choice gold,(G)
11 for wisdom is more precious(H) than rubies,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.(I)

12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
    I possess knowledge and discretion.(J)
13 To fear the Lord(K) is to hate evil;(L)
    I hate(M) pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
    I have insight, I have power.(N)
15 By me kings reign
    and rulers(O) issue decrees that are just;
16 by me princes govern,(P)
    and nobles—all who rule on earth.[b]
17 I love those who love me,(Q)
    and those who seek me find me.(R)
18 With me are riches and honor,(S)
    enduring wealth and prosperity.(T)
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;(U)
    what I yield surpasses choice silver.(V)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,(W)
    along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
    and making their treasuries full.(X)

22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,[c][d]
    before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;(Y)
25 before the mountains were settled in place,(Z)
    before the hills, I was given birth,(AA)
26 before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.(AB)
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,(AC)
    when he marked out the horizon(AD) on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above(AE)
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,(AF)
29 when he gave the sea its boundary(AG)
    so the waters would not overstep his command,(AH)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.(AI)
30     Then I was constantly[e] at his side.(AJ)
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
    and delighting in mankind.(AK)

32 “Now then, my children, listen(AL) to me;
    blessed are(AM) those who keep my ways.(AN)
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen(AO) to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me(AP) find life(AQ)
    and receive favor from the Lord.(AR)
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;(AS)
    all who hate me love death.”(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
  2. Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
  3. Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
  4. Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
  5. Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child