Proverbs 8

Wisdom was there at the beginning

Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice? ²On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand. ³Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out: ⁴“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.

⁵O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding. ⁶Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right. ⁷For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse. ⁹They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge. ¹⁰Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.a

¹¹For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her. ¹²I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. ¹³To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.b

¹⁴Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength. ¹⁵By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;c ¹⁶By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.

¹⁷I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.d ¹⁸With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness. ¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, ²¹bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full. ²²The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.e

²³From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.f ²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water. ²⁵Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth, ²⁶before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.

²⁷I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,g ²⁸when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth, ²⁹when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.h

³⁰Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.i ³¹I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men. ³²Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.j

³³Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. ³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.k ³⁵For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.l

³⁶But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”m