Proverbs 8

Wisdom’s Appeal

1 Doesn’t wisdom  * 8:1–3 Pr 1:20–21; 9:3,13–15 call out?

Doesn’t understanding make her voice heard?

2 At the heights overlooking the road,

at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

3 Beside the gates  * 8:3 Jb 29:7 leading into the city,

at the main entrance, she cries out:

4 "People, I call out to you;

my cry is to the children of Adam.

5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;

develop common sense, you who are foolish.

6 Listen, for I speak of noble things,

and what my lips say is right.

7 For my mouth tells the truth,  * 8:7 Ps 37:30

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8 All the words from my mouth are righteous;

none of them are deceptive or perverse.  * 8:8 Dt 32:5; Pr 2:15; Php 2:15

9 All of them are clear to the perceptive,  * 8:9 Pr 14:6

and right to those who discover knowledge.

10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold.  * 8:10 Pr 3:14–15; 8:19; 16:16

11 For wisdom is better than jewels,  * 8:11 Jb 28:12–19

and nothing desirable can equal it.  * 8:11 Pr 3:15; 20:15

12 I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness

and have knowledge and discretion.  * 8:12 Pr 1:4

13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.  * 8:13 Pr 16:6

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,

and perverse speech.

14 I possess good advice and sound wisdom;  * 8:14 Or resourcefulness

I have understanding and strength.  * 8:14 Ec 7:19

15 It is by me that kings reign  * 8:15 2Ch 1:10; Dn 2:21; Rm 13:1

and rulers enact just law;

16 by me, princes lead,

as do nobles and all righteous judges.  * 8:16 Some Hb mss, LXX read nobles who judge the earth

17 I love those who love me,  * 8:17 1Sm 2:30; Jn 14:21

and those who search for me find me.  * 8:17 Pr 1:28; 2:4–5; Jms 1:5

18 With me are riches and honor,  * 8:18 Pr 3:16

lasting wealth and righteousness.  * 8:18 Ps 112:3; Mt 6:33

19 My fruit is better than solid gold,

and my harvest than pure silver.  * 8:19 Jb 28:15; Pr 3:14; 8:10; 16:16

20 I walk in the ways of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me,

and filling their treasuries.

22 "The Lord acquired  * 8:22 Or possessed, or made  me

at the beginning of his creation,  * 8:22 Lit way

before his works of long ago.  * 8:22 Gn 1:1; Jb 28:26–28; Ps 104:24

23 I was formed  * 8:23 Or consecrated before ancient times,

from the beginning, before the earth began.  * 8:23 Jn 1:1–3; 17:5

24 I was born

when there were no watery depths  * 8:24 Gn 1:2; Pr 3:20

and no springs filled with water.

25 Before the mountains were established,

prior to the hills,  * 8:25 Ps 90:2 I was given birth —

26 before he made the land, the fields,

or the first soil on earth.

27 I was there when he established the heavens,  * 8:27 Pr 3:19

when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,  * 8:27 Jb 26:10

28 when he placed the skies above,

when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,

29 when he set a limit for the sea

so that the waters would not violate his command,  * 8:29 Jb 38:8–11; Ps 104:9

when he laid out the foundations of the earth.  * 8:29 Jb 38:4–5; Ps 104:5

30 I was a skilled craftsman  * 8:30 Or a confidant, or a child, or was constantly beside him.  * 8:30 Jb 28:20–27; 38–39; Pr 3:19–20; Jr 10:12; 51:15; Zch 13:7; Jn 1:2–3

I was his  * 8:30 LXX; MT omits his delight every day,

always rejoicing before him.

31 I was rejoicing in his inhabited world,  * 8:31 Jb 38:4–7

delighting in the children of Adam.  * 8:31 Heb 2:6–8

32 "And now, sons, listen to me;

those who keep my ways are happy.  * 8:32 Ps 119:1–2; 128:1; Lk 11:28

33 Listen to instruction and be wise;  * 8:33 Pr 4:1

don’t ignore it.

34 Anyone who listens to me is happy,  * 8:34 Pr 3:13

watching at my doors every day,

waiting by the posts of my doorway.

35 For the one who finds me finds life  * 8:35 Pr 4:4,22; 7:2; 9:11; 12:28; Jn 17:3

and obtains favor from the  Lord,  * 8:35 Pr 3:4; 12:2; 13:13; 18:22

36 but the one who misses me  * 8:36 Or who sins against me harms himself;  * 8:36 Pr 15:32

all who hate me love death."  * 8:36 Pr 11:19; 21:6