NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?

1Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?

2At the top of the elevated places along the way, at the intersection of the paths she takes her stand;

2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

3beside the gates opening into the city, at the entrance of the doorways she cries out:

3Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

4"To you, O people, I call out, and my voice calls to all mankind.

4"To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.

5You who are naive, discern wisdom! And you fools, understand discernment!

5"O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.

6Listen, for I will speak excellent things, and my lips will utter what is right.

6"Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

7For my mouth speaks truth, and my lips hate wickedness.

7"For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them twisted or crooked.

8"All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

9All of them are clear to the discerning and upright to those who find knowledge.

9"They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.

10Receive my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.

10"Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

11For wisdom is better than rubies, and desirable things cannot be compared to her.

11"For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

12"I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

12"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.

13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride and the evil way and perverse utterances.

13"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

14Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me; I possess understanding and might.

14"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

15Kings reign by means of me, and potentates decree righteousness;

15"By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

16by me princes rule, as well as nobles and all righteous judges.

16"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.

17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

17"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.

18Riches and honor are with me, long-lasting wealth and righteousness.

18"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.

19My fruit is better than the purest gold, and what I produce is better than choice silver.

19"My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver.

20I walk in the path of righteousness, in the pathway of justice,

20"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

21that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, and that I may fill their treasuries.

21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

22The LORD created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago.

22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.

23From eternity I was appointed, from the beginning, from before the world existed.

23"From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

24When there were no deep oceans I was born, when there were no springs overflowing with water;

24"When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.

25before the mountains were set in place--before the hills--I was born,

25"Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;

26before he made the earth and its fields, or the beginning of the dust of the world.

26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.

27When he established the heavens, I was there; when he marked out the horizon over the face of the deep,

27"When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

28when he established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep grew strong,

28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,

29when he gave the sea his decree that the waters should not pass over his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

29When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;

30then I was beside him as a master craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, rejoicing before him at all times,

30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,

31rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and delighting in its people.

31Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

32"So now, children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.

32"Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways.

33Listen to my instruction so that you may be wise, and do not neglect it.

33"Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.

34Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway.

34"Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

35For the one who finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.

35"For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD.

36But the one who does not find me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death."

36"But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death."

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New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org