1 Doesn’t wisdom cry out?
Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way,
where the paths meet, she stands.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4 "I call to you men!
I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
5 You simple, understand prudence!
You fools, be of an understanding heart!
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things.
The opening of my lips is for right things.
7 For my mouth speaks truth.
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness.
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction rather than silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies.
All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
12 "I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling.
Find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil.
I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14 Counsel and sound knowledge are mine.
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign,
and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule,
nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17 I love those who love me.
Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 With me are riches, honor,
enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the middle of the paths of justice,
21 that I may give wealth to those who love me.
I fill their treasuries.
22 "Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work,
before his deeds of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
before the earth existed.
24 When there were no depths, I was born,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was born;
26 while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there.
When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above,
when the springs of the deep became strong,
29 when he gave to the sea its boundary,
that the waters should not violate his commandment,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was the craftsman by his side.
I was a delight day by day,
always rejoicing before him,
31 rejoicing in his whole world.
My delight was with the sons of men.
32 "Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,
for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise.
Don’t refuse it.
34 Blessed is the man who hears me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting at my door posts.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
and will obtain favor from Yahweh.
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul.
All those who hate me love death."
1 Roep die Wysheid nie, en verhef die Verstandigheid nie haar stem nie?
2 Op die top van die hoogtes langs die weg, op die kruispunt van die paaie staan sy,
3 aan die kant van die poorte by die uitgang van die stad, by die ingang van die deure roep sy hardop:
4 Ek roep na julle, manne, en my stem is tot die mensekinders.
5 Leer tog skranderheid verstaan, eenvoudiges, en dwase, leer verstandigheid verstaan.
6 Hoor, want ek sal voortreflike dinge spreek, en my lippe gaan oop vir wat reg is.
7 Want my verhemelte spreek waarheid, en goddeloosheid is vir my lippe 'n gruwel.
8 Al die woorde van my mond is reg, daarin is niks wat slinks of vals is nie,
9 hulle is almal duidelik vir die verstandige en reg vir die wat kennis gevind het.
10 Neem my tug aan, en nie silwer nie, en kennis liewer as uitgesoekte goud.
11 Want wysheid is beter as korale, en al die kleinode kan daar nie mee vergelyk word nie.
12 Ek, Wysheid, is vertroud met die skranderheid, en ek vind kennis van regte oorleg.
13 Die vrees van die HERE is om te haat wat sleg is; hoogmoed en trotsheid en 'n slegte wandel en 'n huigelagtige mond haat ek.
14 Raad en beleid is myne, ek is die insig, sterkte is myne.
15 Deur my regeer die konings en stel die maghebbers vas wat reg is;
16 deur my heers die vorste en die edeles, al die regters van die aarde.
17 Âk het lief die wat my liefhet, en die wat my soek, sal my vind.
18 Rykdom en eer is by my, duursame goed en geregtigheid.
19 My vrug is beter as goud en as fyn goud, en my opbrings as uitgesoekte silwer.
20 Ek wandel op die weg van geregtigheid, in die middel van die paaie van reg,
21 om die wat my liefhet, 'n besitting te laat erwe, en hulle skatkamers maak ek vol.
22 Die HERE het my berei as eersteling van sy weg, voor sy werke, van ouds af.
23 Van ewigheid af is ek geformeer, van die begin af, van die voortyd van die aarde af.
24 Toe daar nog geen wêreldvloede was nie, is ek gebore; toe fonteine, swaar van water, nog nie daar was nie;
25 voordat die berge ingesink het, voor die heuwels is ek gebore;
26 toe Hy die aarde en die velde en al die stoffies van die wêreld nog nie gemaak het nie.
27 Toe Hy die hemele berei het, was ek daar; toe Hy 'n kring afgetrek het op die oppervlakte van die wêreldvloed;
28 toe Hy die wolke daarbo bevestig het, toe die bronne van die wêreldvloed sterk geword het;
29 toe Hy vir die see sy grens gestel het, dat die waters sy bevel nie sou oortree nie; toe Hy die fondamente van die aarde vasgelê het --
30 toe was ek 'n kunstenaar naas Hom, en ek was dag vir dag vol verlustiging en het gespeel voor sy aangesig altyd,
31 en het gespeel op sy wêreldrond, en my verlustiginge was met die mensekinders.
32 Luister dan nou na my, seuns; want gelukkig is hulle wat my weë bewaar.
33 Luister na tug en word wys, en verwerp dit nie.
34 Gelukkig is die mens wat na my luister, om dag vir dag te waak aan my deure, by die syposte van my poorte die wag te hou.
35 Want hy wat my vind, het die lewe gevind en verkry 'n welbehae van die HERE.
36 Maar hy wat my mis, benadeel sy eie lewe; almal wat my haat, het die dood lief.