The Excellence of Wisdom

¹ Does not wisdom call out,

and understanding^* raise her voice?

² On the heights overlooking the road,

at the crossroads she takes her stand.

³ Beside 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.

⁵ O simple ones, learn to be shrewd;

O fools, gain understanding.

⁶ Listen, for I speak of noble things,

and the opening of my lips will reveal right.

⁷ For my mouth will speak the truth,

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

⁸ All the words of my mouth are righteous;

none are crooked or perverse.

⁹ They are all plain to the discerning,

and upright to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰ Receive my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold.

¹¹ For wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire compares with her.

¹² I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence,

and I find knowledge and discretion.

¹³ To fear the LORD is to hate evil;

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine;

I have insight and strength.

¹⁵ By me kings reign,

and rulers enact just laws;

¹⁶ By me princes rule,

and all nobles who govern justly.

¹⁷ I love those who love me,

and those who seek me early shall find me.

¹⁸ With me are riches and honor,

enduring wealth and righteousness.

¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, pure gold,

and my harvest surpasses choice silver.

²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

²¹ bestowing wealth^* on those who love me

and making their treasuries full.

²² The LORD created me^* as His first^* course,^*

before His works of old.

²³ From everlasting I was established,^*

from the beginning, before the earth began.

²⁴ When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,

when no springs were overflowing with water.

²⁵ Before the mountains were settled,

before the hills, I was brought forth,

²⁶ before He made the land or fields,^*

or any of the dust of the earth.

²⁷ I was there when He established the heavens,

when He inscribed^* a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸ when He established the clouds above,

when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

²⁹ when 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.

³⁰ Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side,

and His delight day by day,

rejoicing^* always in His presence.

³¹ I was rejoicing^* in His whole world,

delighting together in the sons of men.

³² Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³ Listen to instruction and be wise;

do not ignore it.

³⁴ Blessed is the man who listens to me,

watching daily at my doors,

waiting at the posts^* of my doorway.

³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains the favor of the LORD.

³⁶ But he who fails to find me harms himself;

all who hate me love death.”