Proverbs 8:22–36

^22*“The Lord created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago.

²³I was made in the very beginning, at the first, before the world began.

²⁴I was born before the oceans, when there were no springs of water.

²⁵I was born before the mountains, before the hills were set in place,

²⁶before God made the earth and its fields or even the first handful of soil.

²⁷I was there when he set the sky in place, when he stretched the horizon across the ocean,

²⁸when he placed the clouds in the sky, when he opened the springs of the ocean

²⁹and ordered the waters of the sea to rise no further than he said. I was there when he laid the earth’s foundations.

³⁰I was beside him like an architect,^g I was his daily source of joy, always happy in his presence-

³¹happy with the world and pleased with the human race.

³²“Now, young people, listen to me. Do as I say, and you will be happy.

³³Listen to what you are taught. Be wise; do not neglect it.

³⁴Those who listen to me will be happy—those who stay at my door every day, waiting at the entrance to my home.

³⁵Those who find me find life, and the Lord will be pleased with them.

³⁶Those who do not find me hurt themselves; anyone who hates me loves death.”