LEB PROV Chapter 8

Wisdom Calls

• 8 Does not wisdom call,
  • and understanding raise its voice?
• 2 Atop the heights[fn] 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 ,[fn] I call,
  • and my cry is to the children of humankind.
• 5 Learn prudence, O simple ones;
  • fools, learn intelligence .[fn]
• 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[fn] are mine;
  • I am understanding, strength is mine .[fn]
• 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 ,[fn]
  • 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,[fn] 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[fn] me, the first of his ways,
  • before his acts of old .[fn]
• 23 From eternity, I was set up from the first,
  • from the beginning[fn] of the earth.
• 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
  • when there were no springs of abounding[fn] 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[fn] the heavens, there I was,
  • when he drew[fn] a circle upon the face of the deep,
• 28 when he made[fn] skies from above,
  • when he founded fountains of the deep,
• 29 when he assigned[fn] his limits to the sea,
  • that waters shall not transgress his command ,[fn]
  • when he marked[fn] the foundations of the earth,
• 30 I was beside[fn] him, a master workman,
  • and I was delighting day by day,
  • rejoicing before him always ,[fn]
• 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[fn] life,
  • and he obtains favor from Yahweh.
• 36 But he who misses me injures himself.[fn]
  • All those who hate me love death.”