Proverbs 8:1–21

WISDOM’S APPEAL

8Doesn’t wisdom^b call out?

Doesn’t understanding make her voice heard?

²At the heights overlooking the road,

at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

³Beside the gates^c 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.

⁵Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;

develop common sense, you who are foolish.

⁶Listen, for I speak of noble things,

and what my lips say is right.

⁷For my mouth tells the truth,^d

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

⁸All the words from my mouth are righteous;

none of them are deceptive or perverse.^e

⁹All of them are clear to the perceptive,^f

and right to those who discover knowledge.

¹⁰Accept my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold.^g

¹¹For wisdom is better than jewels,^h

and nothing desirable can equal it.ⁱ

¹²I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness

and have knowledge and discretion.^j

¹³To fear the Lord is to hate evil.^k

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,

and perverse speech.

¹⁴I possess good advice and sound wisdom;^B

I have understanding and strength.^l

¹⁵It is by me that kings reign^m

and rulers enact just law;

¹⁶by me, princes lead,

as do nobles and all righteous judges.^C

¹⁷I love those who love me,ⁿ

and those who search for me find me.^o

¹⁸With me are riches and honor,^p

lasting wealth and righteousness.^q

¹⁹My fruit is better than solid gold,

and my harvest than pure silver.^r

²⁰I walk in the ways of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

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

and filling their treasuries.