| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? | 1Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? |
| 2She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. | 2At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; |
| 3She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: | 3beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: |
| 4“To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. | 4"To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. |
| 5O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. | 5You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. |
| 6Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; | 6Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. |
| 7For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. | 7My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. |
| 8All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. | 8All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. |
| 9They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. | 9To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. |
| 10Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; | 10Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, |
| 11For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. | 11for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. |
| 12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. | 12"I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. |
| 13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. | 13To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. |
| 14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. | 14Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power. |
| 15By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. | 15By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just; |
| 16By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. | 16by me princes govern, and nobles--all who rule on earth. |
| 17I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. | 17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. |
| 18Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. | 18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. |
| 19My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. | 19My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. |
| 20I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, | 20I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, |
| 21That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. | 21bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full. |
| 22“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. | 22"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; |
| 23I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. | 23I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. |
| 24When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. | 24When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; |
| 25Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; | 25before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, |
| 26While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. | 26before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. |
| 27When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, | 27I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, |
| 28When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, | 28when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, |
| 29When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, | 29when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. |
| 30Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, | 30Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, |
| 31Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. | 31rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. |
| 32“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. | 32"Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. |
| 33Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. | 33Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. |
| 34Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. | 34Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. |
| 35For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; | 35For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD. |
| 36But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.” | 36But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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