Proverbs 8:22–36

²²“The Lord acquired^D me

at the beginning of his creation,^E

before his works of long ago.^s

²³I was formed^A before ancient times,

from the beginning, before the earth began.^t

²⁴I was born

when there were no watery depths^u

and no springs filled with water.

²⁵Before the mountains

were established, prior to the hills,^v I was given birth—

²⁶before he made the land, the fields,

or the first soil on earth.

²⁷I was there when he established the heavens,^w

when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,^x

²⁸when he placed the skies above,

when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,

²⁹when he set a limit for the sea

so that the waters would not violate his command,^y

when he laid out the foundations of the earth.^z

³⁰I was a skilled craftsman^B beside him.^aa

I was his^C delight every day,

always rejoicing before him.

³¹I was rejoicing in his inhabited world,^ab

delighting in the children of Adam.^ac

³²“And now, sons, listen to me;

those who keep my ways are happy.^ad

³³Listen to instruction and be wise;^ae

don’t ignore it.

³⁴Anyone who listens to me is happy,^af

watching at my doors every day,

waiting by the posts of my doorway.

³⁵For the one who finds me finds life^ag

and obtains favor from the Lord,^ah

³⁶but the one who misses me^D harms himself;^a

all who hate me love death.”^b