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v1
Does not wisdom call, and understanding raise its voice?
v2
Atop the heights ^[Literally “At a head of the heights”] beside the road, at the crossroads she stands.
v3
Beside gates, before towns, at the entrance of doors, she cries out:
v4
“To you, O people, ^[Literally “men”] I call, and my cry is to the children of humankind.
v5
Learn prudence, O simple ones; fools, learn intelligence. ^[Literally “heart”]
v6
Listen! For noble things I will speak, and upright things from the opening of my lips.
v7
My mouth will utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
v8
All sayings of my mouth are in righteousness; none of them are twisted and crooked.
v9
All of them are straight to him who understands, and upright to those who find knowledge.
v10
Take my teaching and not silver; may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold.
v11
For wisdom is better than jewels, and all desires shall not compare with her.
v12
I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
v13
The fear of Yahweh is hatred of evil, pride, and arrogance and an evil way. And I hate a mouth of perversity.
v14
Advice and sound judgment ^[Literally “To/for me are advice and sound judgment”] are mine; I am understanding, strength is mine. ^[Literally “to/for me is strength”]
v15
By me kings reign, and rulers decree righteousness.
v16
By me rulers rule, and nobles—all judges of righteousness.
v17
I love those who love me, ^[Literally “her lovers”] and those who seek me diligently shall find me.
v18
Fortune and glory are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
v19
My fruit is better than gold, ^[Literally “fine gold”] even refined gold, and my yield than choice silver.
v20
In the way of righteousness I walk, in the midst of paths of justice,
v21
in order to endow those who love me with wealth, and I will fill their treasuries.
v22
“Yahweh possessed ^[Or “gained,” or “acquired”] me, the first of his ways, before his acts of old. ^[Literally “from before” or “from then”]
v23
From eternity, I was set up from the first, from the beginning ^[Hebrew “beginnings”] of the earth.
v24
When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs of abounding ^[Literally “made heavy”] water.
v25
Before mountains had been shaped, before hills, I was brought forth.
v26
When he had not yet made earth and fields, or the first dust of the world,
v27
when he established ^[Literally “in his establishing”] the heavens, there I was, when he drew ^[Literally “in his drawing”] a circle upon the face of the deep,
v28
when he made ^[Literally “in his making”] skies from above, when he founded fountains of the deep,
v29
when he assigned ^[Literally “in his assigning”] his limits to the sea, that waters shall not transgress his command, ^[Literally “mouth”] when he marked ^[Literally “in his marking”] the foundations of the earth,
v30
I was beside ^[Literally “at the place of”] him, a master workman, and I was delighting day by day, rejoicing before him always, ^[Literally “in all of time”]
v31
rejoicing in the world of his earth, and my delight was with the children of humankind.
v32
“And now, children, listen to me; happy are those who will keep my ways.
v33
Hear teaching and be wise; do not neglect it.
v34
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.
v35
For he who finds me is he who finds ^[Hebrew “those who find”] life, and he obtains favor from Yahweh.
v36
But he who misses me injures himself. ^[Or “soul,” or “inner self”] All those who hate me love death.”