Wisdom’s Appeal

8 Doesn’t Wisdom p 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 gates q at the entry to r the city,

at the main entrance, she cries out:

4 “People, I call out to you;

my cry is to mankind.

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, s

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;

none of them are deceptive or perverse. t

9 All of them are clear to the perceptive, u

and right to those who discover knowledge.

10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold. v

11 For wisdom is better than jewels, w

and nothing desirable can compare with it. x

12 I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness

and have knowledge and discretion. y

13 To * fear the Lord is to hate evil. z

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,

and perverse speech.

14 I possess good advice and competence; a

I have understanding and strength. b

15 It is by me that kings reign c

and rulers enact just law;

16 by me, princes lead,

as do nobles and all righteous judges. d

17 I love those who love me, e

and those who search for me find me. f

18 With me are riches and honor, g

lasting wealth and righteousness. h

19 My fruit is better than solid gold,

and my harvest than pure silver. i

20 I walk in the way 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 made j me

at the beginning of His creation, k

before His works of long ago. l

23 I was formed before ancient times,

from the beginning, before the earth began. m

24 I was born

when there were no watery depths n

and no springs filled with water.

25 I was delivered

before the mountains and hills were established, o

26 before He made the land, the fields,

or the first soil on earth.

27 I was there when He established the heavens, p

when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean, q

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, r

when He laid out the foundations of the earth. s

30 I was a skilled craftsman t beside Him. u

I was His v delight every day,

always rejoicing before Him.

31 I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, w

delighting in the * human race. x

32 “And now, my sons, listen to me;

those who keep my ways are happy. y

33 Listen to instruction and be wise; z

don’t ignore it.

34 Anyone who listens to me is happy, a

watching at my doors every day,

waiting by the posts of my doorway.

35 For the one who finds me finds life b

and obtains favor from the Lord, c

36 but the one who misses me d harms himself; e

all who hate me love death.” f