The Excellence of Wisdom

1Doeth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?

2She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.

3She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,

4O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.

5O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.

6Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.

7For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.

8All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.

9They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.

10Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.

11For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.

12I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.

13The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride, and arrogancie, and the euill way: and a mouth that speaketh lewde things, I doe hate.

14I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.

15By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.

16By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.

17I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.

18Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.

19My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.

20I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes, and in the middes of the paths of iudgement,

21That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.

22The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.

23I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.

24When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.

25Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.

26He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.

27When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.

28When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,

29When he gaue his decree to the Sea, that the waters shoulde not passe his commaundement: when he appointed the foundations of the earth,

30Then was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,

31And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.

32Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.

33Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not:

34Blessed is the man that heareth mee, watching dayly at my gates, & giuing attendance at the postes of my doores.

35For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shal obteine fauour of the Lord.

36But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.