Proverbs 8 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 8 ▼
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1 Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, wisdom takes her stand; On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates, at the entrance to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out: beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is directed to the sons of men. “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 “O you naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled], understand prudence and seek astute common sense; And, O you [closed-minded, self-confident] fools, understand wisdom [seek the insight and self-discipline that leads to godly living]. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.
6 “Listen, for I will speak excellent and noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 “For my mouth will utter truth, And wickedness is repulsive and loathsome to my lips. for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
8 “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness (upright, in right standing with God); There is nothing contrary to truth or perverted (crooked) in them. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 “They are all straightforward to him who understands [with an open and willing mind], And right to those who find knowledge and live by it. They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 “Take my instruction rather than [seeking] silver, And take knowledge rather than choicest gold, Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12 “I, [godly] wisdom, reside with prudence [good judgment, moral courage and astute common sense], And I find knowledge and discretion. “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 “The [reverent] fear and worshipful awe of the LORD includes the hatred of evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate. The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power and strength are mine. I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.
15 “By me kings reign And rulers decide and decree justice. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just;
16 “By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge and govern rightly. by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth.
17 “I love those who love me; And those who seek me early and diligently will find me. I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
18 “Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness (right standing with God). Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 “My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield is better than choicest silver. My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 “I, [Wisdom, continuously] walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth and true riches, And that I may fill their treasuries. granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries. bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
22 “The LORD created and possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old [were accomplished]. “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old;
23 “From everlasting I was established and ordained, From the beginning, before the earth existed, [I, godly wisdom, existed]. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 “When there were no ocean depths I was born, When there were no fountains and springs overflowing with water. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25 “Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was born; Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth,
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Or the first of the dust of the earth. before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth.
27 “When He established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; When He drew a circle upon the face of the deep, When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above, When the fountains and springs of the deep became fixed and strong, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 When He set for the sea its boundary So that the waters would not transgress [the boundaries set by] His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth— when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was beside Him, as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight; Rejoicing before Him always, then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,
31 Rejoicing in the world, His inhabited earth, And having my delight in the sons of men. rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man. rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.
32 “Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] are they who keep my ways. “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. “Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 “Heed (pay attention to) instruction and be wise, And do not ignore or neglect it. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.
34 “Blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
35 “For whoever finds me (Wisdom) finds life And obtains favor and grace from the LORD. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD.
36 “But he who fails to find me or sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love and court death.” but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.”
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