WISDOM’S APPEAL

8 Doesn’t wisdomb call out?

Doesn’t understanding make her voice heard?

2 At the heights overlooking the road,

at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

3 Beside the gatesc 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.

5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;

develop common sense, you who are foolish.

6 Listen, for I speak of noble things,

and what my lips say is right.

7 For my mouth tells the truth,d

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8 All the words from my mouth are righteous;

none of them are deceptive or perverse.e

9 All of them are clear to the perceptive,f

and right to those who discover knowledge.

10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold.g

11 For wisdom is better than jewels,h

and nothing desirable can equal it.i

12 I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness

and have knowledge and discretion.j

13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.k

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,

and perverse speech.

14 I possess good advice and sound wisdom;A

I have understanding and strength.l

15 It is by me that kings reignm

and rulers enact just law;

16 by me, princes lead,

as do nobles and all righteous judges.B

17 I love those who love me,n

and those who search for me find me.o

18 With me are riches and honor,p

lasting wealth and righteousness.q

19 My fruit is better than solid gold,

and my harvest than pure silver.r

20 I walk in the ways of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

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

and filling their treasuries.

22 “The Lord acquiredC me

at the beginning of his creation,D

before his works of long ago.s

23 I was formedE before ancient times,

from the beginning, before the earth began.t

24 I was born

when there were no watery depthsu

and no springs filled with water.

25 Before the mountains

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

26 before he made the land, the fields,

or the first soil on earth.

27 I was there when he established the heavens,w

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

28 when he placed the skies above,

when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,

29 when 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

30 I was a skilled craftsmanF beside him.aa

I was hisG delight every day,

always rejoicing before him.

31 I 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

33 Listen to instruction and be wise;ae

don’t ignore it.

34 Anyone who listens to me is happy,af

watching at my doors every day,

waiting by the posts of my doorway.

35 For the one who finds me finds lifeag

and obtains favor from the Lord,ah

36 but the one who misses meA harms himself;a

all who hate me love death.”b