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Proverbs 8:1–7

Wisdom’s Appeal

8 Doesn’t Wisdom p call out?

Doesn’t Understanding make her voice heard?

At the heights overlooking the road,

at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

Beside the gates q at the entry to r the city,

at the main entrance, she cries out:

“People, I call out to you;

my cry is to mankind.

Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;

develop common sense, you who are foolish.

Listen, for I speak of noble things,

and what my lips say is right.

For my mouth tells the truth, s

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

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Proverbs 8:1–7 — The New International Version (NIV)

Does not wisdom call out?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

At the highest point along the way,

where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

beside the gate leading into the city,

at the entrance, she cries aloud:

“To you, O people, I call out;

I raise my voice to all mankind.

You who are simple, gain prudence;

you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.

Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;

I open my lips to speak what is right.

My mouth speaks what is true,

for my lips detest wickedness.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — English Standard Version (ESV)

Does not wisdom call?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

On the heights beside the way,

at the crossroads she takes her stand;

beside the gates in front of the town,

at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

“To you, O men, I call,

and my cry is to the children of man.

O simple ones, learn prudence;

O fools, learn sense.

Hear, for I will speak noble things,

and from my lips will come what is right,

for my mouth will utter truth;

wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

Doth not wisdom cry?

And understanding put forth her voice?

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way

In the places of the paths.

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the coming in at the doors.

Unto you, O men, I call;

And my voice is to the sons of man.

O ye simple, understand wisdom:

And, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;

And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

For my mouth shall speak truth;

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — New Living Translation (NLT)

Listen as Wisdom calls out!

Hear as understanding raises her voice!

On the hilltop along the road,

she takes her stand at the crossroads.

By the gates at the entrance to the town,

on the road leading in, she cries aloud,

“I call to you, to all of you!

I raise my voice to all people.

You simple people, use good judgment.

You foolish people, show some understanding.

Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.

Everything I say is right,

for I speak the truth

and detest every kind of deception.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?

She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,

Beside the way, where the paths meet.

She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the entrance of the doors:

“To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

O you simple ones, understand prudence,

And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,

And from the opening of my lips will come right things;

For my mouth will speak truth;

Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — New Century Version (NCV)

Wisdom calls to you like someone shouting;

understanding raises her voice.

On the hilltops along the road

and at the crossroads, she stands calling.

Beside the city gates,

at the entrances into the city, she calls out:

“Listen, everyone, I’m calling out to you;

I am shouting to all people.

You who are uneducated, seek wisdom.

You who are foolish, get understanding.

Listen, because I have important things to say,

and what I tell you is right.

What I say is true,

I refuse to speak evil.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — American Standard Version (ASV)

Doth not wisdom cry,

And understanding put forth her voice?

On the top of high places by the way,

Where the paths meet, she standeth;

Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:

Unto you, O men, I call;

And my voice is to the sons of men.

O ye simple, understand prudence;

And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.

Hear, for I will speak excellent things;

And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

For my mouth shall utter truth;

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice? On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand. Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud. Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man: O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense. Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Does not wisdom call out? 

Does not understanding raise its voice? 

⸤Wisdom⸥ takes its stand on high ground, 

by the wayside where the roads meet, 

near the gates to the city. 

At the entrance ⸤wisdom⸥ sings its song, 

“I am calling to all of you, 

and my appeal is to all people. 

You gullible people, learn how to be sensible. 

You fools, get a heart that has understanding. 

Listen! I am speaking about noble things, 

and my lips will say what is right. 

My mouth expresses the truth, 

and wickedness is disgusting to my lips. 

Proverbs 8:1–7 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Does not wisdom call,

and does not understanding raise her voice?

On the heights, beside the way,

at the crossroads she takes her stand;

beside the gates in front of the town,

at the entrance of the portals she cries out:

“To you, O people, I call,

and my cry is to all that live.

O simple ones, learn prudence;

acquire intelligence, you who lack it.

Hear, for I will speak noble things,

and from my lips will come what is right;

for my mouth will utter truth;

wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Does not wisdom call,

and understanding raise its voice?

Atop the heights beside the road,

at the crossroads she stands.

Beside gates, before towns,

at the entrance of doors, she cries out:

“To you, O people, I call,

and my cry is to the children of humankind.

Learn prudence, O simple ones;

fools, learn intelligence.

Listen! For noble things I will speak,

and upright things from the opening of my lips.

My mouth will utter truth,

and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Doesn’t wisdom call out?

Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

On the high roads along the way,

she takes her place where the paths meet.

Beside the gates leading into the city,

she cries out at the entrances.

She says, “Men, I call out to you.

I raise my voice to all human beings.

You who are childish, get some good sense.

You who are foolish, gain understanding.

Listen! I have worthy things to say.

I open my lips to speak what is right.

My mouth speaks what is true.

My lips hate evil.

Proverbs 8:1–7 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

Does not wisdom call,

And understanding lift up her voice?

On top of the heights beside the way,

Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,

At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

“To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

“O naive ones, understand prudence;

And, O fools, understand wisdom.

Listen, for I will speak noble things;

And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

“For my mouth will utter truth;

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.


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