Proverbs 8:1–9:11

Wisdom Calls

8Does not wisdom call,

and understanding raise its voice?

²Atop the heights^a beside the road,

at the crossroads she stands.

³Beside gates, before towns,

at the entrance of doors, she cries out:

⁴“To you, O people,^b I call,

and my cry is to the children of humankind.

⁵Learn prudence, O simple ones;

fools, learn intelligence.^c

⁶Listen! For noble things I will speak,

and upright things from the opening of my lips.

⁷My mouth will utter truth,

and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All sayings of my mouth are in righteousness;

none of them are twisted and crooked.

⁹All of them are straight to him who understands,

and upright to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Take my teaching and not silver;

may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹For wisdom is better than jewels,

and all desires shall not compare with her.

¹²I, wisdom, live with prudence,

and I find knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of Yahweh is hatred of evil,

pride, and arrogance and an evil way.

And I hate a mouth of perversity.

¹⁴Advice and sound judgment^d are mine;

I am understanding, strength is mine.^e

¹⁵By me kings reign,

and rulers decree righteousness.

¹⁶By me rulers rule,

and nobles—all judges of righteousness.

¹⁷I love those who love me,^f

and those who seek me diligently shall find me.

¹⁸Fortune and glory are with me,

enduring wealth and righteousness.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold,^g even refined gold,

and my yield than choice silver.

²⁰In the way of righteousness I walk,

in the midst of paths of justice,

²¹in order to endow those who love me with wealth,

and I will fill their treasuries.

Wisdom at Creation

²²“Yahweh created^h me, the first of his ways,

before his acts of old.ⁱ

²³From eternity, I was set up from the first,

from the beginning^j of the earth.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth,

when there were no springs of abounding^k water.

²⁵Before mountains had been shaped,

before hills, I was brought forth.

²⁶When he had not yet made earth and fields,

or the first dust of the world,

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

when he drew^m a circle upon the face of the deep,

²⁸when he madeⁿ skies from above,

when he founded fountains of the deep,

²⁹when he assigned^o his limits to the sea,

that waters shall not transgress his command,^p

when he marked^q the foundations of the earth,

³⁰I was beside^r him, a master workman,

and I was delighting day by day,

rejoicing before him always,^s

³¹rejoicing in the world of his earth,

and my delight was with the children of humankind.

Benefits of Following Wisdom

³²“And now, children, listen to me;

happy are those who will keep my ways.

³³Hear teaching and be wise;

do not neglect it.

³⁴Happy is the person who listens to me,

in order to keep watch at my doors day by day,

in order to guard the frames of my entrances.

³⁵For he who finds me is he who finds^t life,

and he obtains favor from Yahweh.

³⁶But he who misses me injures himself.^u

All those who hate me love death.”

Wisdom’s Banquet

9Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her seven pillars.

²She has slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine,

and also set her table.

³She has sent her servant girls,^a she calls

upon the wings of the high places of town,

⁴“Whoever is simple, let him turn here.”

As for the one who lacks sense,^b she says to him,

⁵“Come, eat with my bread;

drink with the wine I have mixed.

⁶Lay aside simplicity and live;

walk in the way of understanding.”

⁷He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself,

and he who rebukes the wicked gets hurt.^c

⁸Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;

rebuke the wise and he will love you.

⁹Give to a wise one and he will become more wise;

teach^d a righteous one and he will increase learning.

Foolishness’ Banquet

¹⁰The start of wisdom is fear of Yahweh,

and knowledge of the Holy One,^e insight.

¹¹For by me your days shall increase,

and years of life shall multiply for you.