1 Doesn’t wisdom  * 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  * 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,  *

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8 All the words from my mouth are righteous;

none of them are deceptive or perverse.  *

9 All of them are clear to the perceptive,  *

and right to those who discover knowledge.

10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold.  *

11 For wisdom is better than jewels,  *

and nothing desirable can equal it.  *

12 I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness

and have knowledge and discretion.  *

13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.  *

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,

and perverse speech.

14 I possess good advice and sound wisdom;  *

I have understanding and strength.  *

15 It is by me that kings reign  *

and rulers enact just law;

16 by me, princes lead,

as do nobles and all righteous judges.  *

17 I love those who love me,  *

and those who search for me find me.  *

18 With me are riches and honor,  *

lasting wealth and righteousness.  *

19 My fruit is better than solid gold,

and my harvest than pure silver.  *

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  *  me

at the beginning of his creation,  *

before his works of long ago.  *

23 I was formed  * before ancient times,

from the beginning, before the earth began.  *

24 I was born

when there were no watery depths  *

and no springs filled with water.

25 Before the mountains were established,

prior to the hills,  * 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,  *

when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,  *

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,  *

when he laid out the foundations of the earth.  *

30 I was a skilled craftsman  * beside him.  *

I was his  * delight every day,

always rejoicing before him.

31 I was rejoicing in his inhabited world,  *

delighting in the children of Adam.  *

32 "And now, sons, listen to me;

those who keep my ways are happy.  *

33 Listen to instruction and be wise;  *

don’t ignore it.

34 Anyone who listens to me is happy,  *

watching at my doors every day,

waiting by the posts of my doorway.

35 For the one who finds me finds life  *

and obtains favor from the  Lord,  *

36 but the one who misses me  * harms himself;  *

all who hate me love death."  *