Proverbs 8
Complete Jewish Bible
8 Wisdom is calling!
Understanding is raising her voice!
2 On the heights along the road,
where the paths meet, she is standing;
3 by the gates leading into the city,
at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 “People, I am calling you,
raising my voice to all mankind.
5 You who don’t direct your lives,
understand caution;
as for you, you fools,
get some common sense!
6 “Listen! I will say worthwhile things;
when I speak, my words are right.
7 My mouth says what is true,
because my lips detest evil.
8 All the words from my mouth are righteous;
nothing false or crooked is in them.
9 They are all clear to those who understand
and straightforward to those who gain knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, rather than silver;
knowledge, rather than the finest gold.
11 For wisdom is better than pearls;
nothing you want can compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, live together with caution;
I attain knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Adonai is hatred of evil.
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil ways and duplicitous speech.
14 Good advice is mine, and common sense;
I am insight, power is mine.
15 By me kings reign,
and princes make just laws.
16 By me princes govern,
nobles too, and all the earth’s rulers.
17 I love those who love me;
and those who seek me will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
lasting wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, fine gold,
my produce better than the finest silver.
20 I follow the course of righteousness
along the paths of justice,
21 to endow with wealth those who love me
and fill their treasuries.
22 “Adonai made me as the beginning of his way,
the first of his ancient works.
23 I was appointed before the world,
before the start, before the earth’s beginnings.
24 When I was brought forth, there were no ocean depths,
no springs brimming with water.
25 I was brought forth before the hills,
before the mountains had settled in place;
26 he had not yet made the earth, the fields,
or even the earth’s first grains of dust.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there.
When he drew the horizon’s circle on the deep,
28 when he set the skies above in place,
when the fountains of the deep poured forth,
29 when he prescribed boundaries for the sea,
so that its water would not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 I was with him as someone he could trust.
For me, every day was pure delight,
as I played in his presence all the time,.
31 playing everywhere on his earth,
and delighting to be with humankind.
32 “Therefore, children, listen to me:
happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and grow wise;
do not refuse it.
34 How happy the person who listens to me,
who watches daily at my gates
and waits outside my doors.
35 For he who finds me finds life
and obtains the favor of Adonai.
36 But he who misses me harms himself;
all who hate me love death.”
Proverbe 8
Nouă Traducere În Limba Română
Chemarea Înţelepciunii
8 Nu strigă înţelepciunea?
Nu-şi înalţă priceperea glasul?
2 Ea se opreşte pe înălţimi,
de-a lungul străzilor, la răspântii,
3 lângă porţile care duc spre intrarea cetăţii,
la uşi, şi strigă cu voce tare:
4 „Oamenilor, către voi strig
şi spre voi, fiii oamenilor, se îndreaptă vocea mea!
5 O, nesăbuiţilor, înţelegeţi prudenţa;
proştilor, înţelegeţi priceperea!
6 Ascultaţi, căci am să vă spun lucruri mari!
Îmi voi deschide buzele ca să spun ce este drept!
7 Căci gura mea rosteşte adevărul,
iar nelegiuirea este o urâciune pentru buzele mele.
8 Toate cuvintele gurii mele sunt drepte,
nu este nimic necinstit sau sucit în ele.
9 Toate sunt clare pentru cel priceput
şi corecte pentru cei ce au găsit cunoştinţa.
10 Primiţi îndrumarea mea în loc de argint
şi alegeţi cunoştinţa în schimbul aurului ales,
11 căci înţelepciunea este mai preţioasă decât mărgăritarele
şi orice ţi-ai dori nu se poate compara cu ea.
12 Eu, înţelepciunea, locuiesc împreună cu prudenţa;
eu găsesc cunoştinţa şi chibzuinţa.
13 Frica de Domnul te face să urăşti răul.
Iată ce urăsc eu: mândria şi aroganţa,
calea rea şi gura care vorbeşte lucruri stricate.
14 Al meu este sfatul şi înţelepciunea răsunătoare;
a mea este priceperea, a mea este puterea.
15 Prin mine domnesc împăraţii
şi cei ce conduc prin mine emit legi drepte.
16 Prin mine guvernează prinţii
şi toţi nobilii care conduc pământul[a].
17 Eu iubesc pe cei ce mă iubesc,
şi cei ce mă caută mă vor găsi.
18 Eu aduc bogăţie şi onoare,
belşug şi bunăstare.
19 Rodul meu este mai bun decât aurul, decât aurul curat;
profitul meu întrece argintul ales.
20 Eu merg pe calea dreptăţii,
pe mijlocul cărărilor justiţiei,
21 ca să le dau o moştenire celor ce mă iubesc
şi să le umplu vistieriile.
22 Domnul m-a creat ca cea dintâi dintre căile[b] Lui,[c]
înaintea celor mai vechi lucrări ale Lui.
23 Eu am fost desemnată din veşnicie,
de la început, înainte de a fi pământul.
24 Eu am fost născută când nu erau oceanele,
când nu erau izvoare încărcate cu apă.
25 Înainte de aşezarea munţilor,
înainte de a fi dealurile, am fost născută eu,
26 când El nu făcuse încă nici pământul, nici câmpiile,
nici cea dintâi fărâmă a pulberii lumii.
27 Când a întocmit El cerurile, eu eram acolo;
când a trasat orizontul pe faţa adâncului,
28 când a pironit norii sus
şi a întărit izvoarele adâncului,
29 când a dat mării porunca Lui,
ca apele să nu treacă peste hotărârea[d] Sa,
când a trasat temeliile pământului,
30 eu eram meşterul de lângă El
şi zi de zi aveam parte de desfătări,
jucând neîncetat în prezenţa Lui,
31 jucând pe întinderea pământului Lui
şi găsindu-mi desfătarea în fiii oamenilor.
32 Acum deci, fiilor, ascultaţi-mă!
Binecuvântaţi sunt cei ce păzesc căile mele!
33 Ascultaţi îndrumarea şi fiţi înţelepţi;
n-o ignoraţi!
34 Binecuvântat este omul care mă ascultă,
care veghează zilnic la porţile mele,
aşteptând la pragul uşii mele.
35 Fiindcă oricine mă găseşte pe mine, găseşte viaţa
şi primeşte astfel o favoare de la Domnul.
36 Dar cel care dă greş în a mă găsi se răneşte singur;
toţi cei ce mă urăsc iubesc moartea.“
Footnotes
- Proverbe 8:16 Multe mss TM, LXX; cele mai multe mss TM: şi nobilii – toţi cei ce conduc cu dreptate
- Proverbe 8:22 Un idiom ebraic cu referire la lucrările lui Dumnezeu
- Proverbe 8:22 Sau: Domnul mă avea la începutul căii Lui
- Proverbe 8:29 Lit: gura
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
Proverbs 8
King James Version
8 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 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.
Proverbs 8
New King James Version
The Excellence of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the [a]high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you [b]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Listen, for I will speak of (B)excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 (C)For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 (D)The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(E)Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And (F)the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (G)I have strength.
15 (H)By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of [c]the earth.
17 (I)I love those who love me,
And (J)those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 (K)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I [d]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
22 “The(L) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 (M)I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 (N)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the [e]fields,
Or the [f]primal dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
29 (O)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When (P)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 (Q)Then I was beside Him as [g]a master craftsman;
(R)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And (S)my delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For (T)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 (U)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And (V)obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me (W)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:2 Lit. heights
- Proverbs 8:5 naive
- Proverbs 8:16 MT, Syr., Tg., Vg. righteousness; LXX, Bg., some mss. and editions earth
- Proverbs 8:20 walk about on
- Proverbs 8:26 outer places
- Proverbs 8:26 Lit. beginning of the dust
- Proverbs 8:30 A Jewish tradition one brought up
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Nouă Traducere În Limba Română (Holy Bible, New Romanian Translation) Copyright © 2006 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

