Proverbs 8:22–36

^22s“The Lord ^tpossessed² me at the beginning of his work,³

the first of his acts ^uof old.

²³Ages ago I was ^vset up,

at the first, ^wbefore the beginning of the earth.

²⁴When there were no ^xdepths I was ^ybrought forth,

when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains ^zhad been shaped,

^abefore the hills, I was brought forth,

²⁶before he had made the earth with its fields,

or the first of the dust of the world.

²⁷When he ^bestablished the heavens, I was there;

when he drew ^ca circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸when he ^dmade firm the skies above,

when he established⁴ the fountains of the deep,

²⁹when he ^eassigned to the sea its ^flimit,

so that the waters might not transgress his command,

when he marked out ^gthe foundations of the earth,

³⁰then ^hI was beside him, like a master workman,

and I was daily his^{5 i}delight,

rejoicing before him always,

^31jrejoicing in his ^kinhabited world

and delighting in the children of man.

³²“And now, ^lO sons, listen to me:

^mblessed are those who keep my ways.

³³ⁿHear instruction and be wise,

and do not neglect it.

^34oBlessed is the one who listens to me,

watching daily at my gates,

waiting beside my doors.

³⁵For ^pwhoever finds me ^qfinds life

and ^robtains favor from the Lord,

³⁶but he who fails to find me ^sinjures himself;

all who ^thate me ^ulove death.”