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Proverbs 8
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 8
Lexham English Bible
Wisdom Calls
8 Does not wisdom call,
and understanding raise its voice?
2 Atop the heights[a] beside the road,
at the crossroads she stands.
3 Beside gates, before towns,
at the entrance of doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, O people,[b] I call,
and my cry is to the children of humankind.
5 Learn prudence, O simple ones;
fools, learn intelligence.[c]
6 Listen! For noble things I will speak,
and upright things from the opening of my lips.
7 My mouth will utter truth,
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All sayings of my mouth are in righteousness;
none of them are twisted and crooked.
9 All of them are straight to him who understands,
and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my teaching and not silver;
may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,
and all desires shall not compare with her.
12 I, wisdom, live with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Yahweh is hatred of evil,
pride, and arrogance and an evil way.
And I hate a mouth of perversity.
14 Advice and sound judgment[d] are mine;
I am understanding, strength is mine.[e]
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree righteousness.
16 By me rulers rule,
and nobles—all judges of righteousness.
17 I love those who love me,[f]
and those who seek me diligently shall find me.
18 Fortune and glory are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold,[g] even refined gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 In the way of righteousness I walk,
in the midst of paths of justice,
21 in order to endow those who love me with wealth,
and I will fill their treasuries.
Wisdom at Creation
22 “Yahweh possessed[h] me, the first of his ways,
before his acts of old.[i]
23 From eternity, I was set up from the first,
from the beginning[j] of the earth.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
when there were no springs of abounding[k] water.
25 Before mountains had been shaped,
before hills, I was brought forth.
26 When he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the first dust of the world,
27 when he established[l] the heavens, there I was,
when he drew[m] a circle upon the face of the deep,
28 when he made[n] skies from above,
when he founded fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned[o] his limits to the sea,
that waters shall not transgress his command,[p]
when he marked[q] the foundations of the earth,
30 I was beside[r] him, a master workman,
and I was delighting day by day,
rejoicing before him always,[s]
31 rejoicing in the world of his earth,
and my delight was with the children of humankind.
Benefits of Following Wisdom
32 “And now, children, listen to me;
happy are those who will keep my ways.
33 Hear teaching and be wise;
do not neglect it.
34 Happy is the person who listens to me,
in order to keep watch at my doors day by day,
in order to guard the frames of my entrances.
35 For he who finds me is he who finds[t] life,
and he obtains favor from Yahweh.
36 But he who misses me injures himself.[u]
All those who hate me love death.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:2 Literally “At a head of the heights”
- Proverbs 8:4 Literally “men”
- Proverbs 8:5 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 8:14 Literally “To/for me are advice and sound judgment”
- Proverbs 8:14 Literally “to/for me is strength”
- Proverbs 8:17 Literally “her lovers”
- Proverbs 8:19 Literally “fine gold”
- Proverbs 8:22 Or “gained,” or “acquired”
- Proverbs 8:22 Literally “from before” or “from then”
- Proverbs 8:23 Hebrew “beginnings”
- Proverbs 8:24 Literally “made heavy”
- Proverbs 8:27 Literally “in his establishing”
- Proverbs 8:27 Literally “in his drawing”
- Proverbs 8:28 Literally “in his making”
- Proverbs 8:29 Literally “in his assigning”
- Proverbs 8:29 Literally “mouth”
- Proverbs 8:29 Literally “in his marking”
- Proverbs 8:30 Literally “at the place of”
- Proverbs 8:30 Literally “in all of time”
- Proverbs 8:35 Hebrew “those who find”
- Proverbs 8:36 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
Proverbs 8
World English Bible
Proverbs 8
World English Bible
8 Doesn’t wisdom cry out?
Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way,
where the paths meet, she stands.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4 “I call to you men!
I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
5 You simple, understand prudence!
You fools, be of an understanding heart!
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things.
The opening of my lips is for right things.
7 For my mouth speaks truth.
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness.
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction rather than silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies.
All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
12 “I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling.
Find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil.
I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14 Counsel and sound knowledge are mine.
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign,
and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule,
nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17 I love those who love me.
Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 With me are riches, honor,
enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the middle of the paths of justice,
21 that I may give wealth to those who love me.
I fill their treasuries.
22 “Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work,
before his deeds of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
before the earth existed.
24 When there were no depths, I was born,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was born;
26 while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there.
When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above,
when the springs of the deep became strong,
29 when he gave to the sea its boundary,
that the waters should not violate his commandment,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was the craftsman by his side.
I was a delight day by day,
always rejoicing before him,
31 rejoicing in his whole world.
My delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,
for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise.
Don’t refuse it.
34 Blessed is the man who hears me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting at my door posts.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
and will obtain favor from Yahweh.
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul.
All those who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 8
New International Version
Proverbs 8
New International Version
Wisdom’s Call
8 Does not wisdom call out?(A)
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:(B)
4 “To you, O people, I call out;(C)
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple,(D) gain prudence;(E)
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,(F)
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 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
- Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
- Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
- Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
- 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
- Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child
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