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

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.

Аз съм премъдростта

(A)Не зове ли мъдростта? И разумът не издига ли своя глас? Тя застава навръх височините край пътя, по кръстовищата. Тя зове край отворените порти на града, при входа на вратите: „Към вас, хора, отправям зов и моят глас призовава човешките синове! Научете се, неразумни, на благоразумие и вие, глупци, придобийте разум. Слушайте, защото ще говоря важни неща и устните ми ще произнесат справедливи думи, защото езикът ми ще изговори истината, а нечестието е отвратително за устата ми. Всички думи на устата ми са справедливи; в тях няма коварство и извратеност. Всички те са ясни за разумния и за онези, които намират знанието. 10 (B)(C)Приемете поуката ми, а не сребро, и по-добре знание, отколкото отбрано злато, 11 (D)защото мъдростта е по-добра от бисери и всички желани неща не могат да се сравнят с нея.

12 Аз, премъдростта, живея с разума и търся знание и благоразумие. 13 (E)Страх от Господа е да се отхвърля злото; мразя гордостта и високомерието, лошия път и развратените думи. 14 Мои са съветът и здравомислието, аз съм разумът, у мене е силата. 15 (F)Чрез мене царуват царете и властителите узаконяват правдата. 16 Чрез мене управляват князете и велможите, всички отсъждат справедливо. 17 (G)Обичам тези, които ме обичат, и ще ме намерят онези, които ме търсят. 18 (H)Аз притежавам богатството и славата, трайното съкровище и правдата. 19 Плодовете ми са по-добри от злато, дори от най-чисто злато, и ползата от мене е по-добра от фино сребро. 20 Аз вървя по пътя на правдата, по пътеките на правосъдието, 21 за да дам на тези, които ме обичат, да наследят правдата и да напълнят съкровищниците[a].

22 (I)Господ ме имаше за начало на Своя път, преди Своите създания, открай време. 23 Аз бях поставена преди векове, отначало, преди земята да бъде създадена. 24 Аз съм родена, когато бездните ги нямаше, когато нямаше извори, изобилни с вода. 25 Бях родена преди планините да бъдат поставени, преди хълмовете, 26 преди Бог да беше създал земята и полетата, нито първите прашинки на вселената. 27 (J)Аз бях там, когато установяваше небесата. Когато очертаваше хоризонта по лицето на бездната, 28 когато укрепяваше облаците, когато правеше изворите на бездната силни, 29 (K)когато даваше закона Си на морето, водите да не престъпват неговите граници, когато полагаше основите на земята – 30 аз бях до Бога – вярна, и бях радост всеки ден, веселяща се пред лицето Му през цялото време. 31 (L)Веселях се на обитаемата част на Неговата земя и радостта ми беше с човешките синове.

32 (M)И така, деца, послушайте ме: блажени са тези, които спазват пътищата ми! 33 Послушайте поуката, бъдете мъдри и не отстъпвайте от нея. 34 Блажен е онзи човек, който ме слуша, като бодърства всеки ден при моите врати и стои на стража при входа ми, 35 (N)защото онзи, който ме е намерил, ще получи благоволение от Господа. 36 А онзи, който пропуска да ме намери, нанася вреда на душата си, и които ме мразят, обичат смъртта.“

Footnotes

  1. 8:21 В Септуагинта е добавено: „Когато ти възвестя неща, които стават ежедневно, няма да забравя да изброя онова, което е отвека“.