Books of The Bible / Book of Proverbs
1 Is not Wisdom calling? Is not Understanding raising her voice?
2 On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossways, she takes her stand;
3 by the gates, at the entrance to the city, on the access-roads, she cries out,
4 ‘I am calling to you, all people, my words are addressed to all humanity.
5 Simpletons, learn how to behave, fools, come to your senses.
6 Listen, I have something important to tell you, when I speak, my words are right.
7 My mouth proclaims the truth, for evil is abhorrent to my lips.
8 All the words from my mouth are upright, nothing false there, nothing crooked,
9 everything plain, if you can understand, straight, if you have acquired knowledge.
10 Accept my discipline rather than silver, and knowledge of me in preference to finest gold.
11 For Wisdom is more precious than jewels, and nothing else is so worthy of desire.
12 ‘I, Wisdom, share house with Discretion, I am mistress of the art of thought.
13 (Fear of Yahweh means hatred of evil.) I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behaviour and a lying mouth.
14 To me belong good advice and prudence, I am perception: power is mine!
15 By me monarchs rule and princes decree what is right;
16 by me rulers govern, so do nobles, the lawful authorities.
17 I love those who love me; whoever searches eagerly for me finds me.
18 With me are riches and honour, lasting wealth and saving justice.
19 The fruit I give is better than gold, even the finest, the return I make is better than pure silver.
20 I walk in the way of uprightness in the path of justice,
21 to endow my friends with my wealth and to fill their treasuries.
22 ‘Yahweh created me, first-fruits of his fashioning, before the oldest of his works.
23 From everlasting, I was firmly set, from the beginning, before the earth came into being.
24 The deep was not, when I was born, nor were the springs with their abounding waters.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth;
26 before he had made the earth, the countryside, and the first elements of the world.
27 When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep,
28 when he thickened the clouds above, when the sources of the deep began to swell,
29 when he assigned the sea its boundaries — and the waters will not encroach on the shore — when he traced the foundations of the earth,
30 I was beside the master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence,
31 at play everywhere on his earth, delighting to be with the children of men.
32 ‘And now, my children, listen to me. Happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to instruction and become wise, do not reject it.
34 Blessed, whoever listens to me, who day after day keeps watch at my gates to guard my portals.
35 For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains the favour of Yahweh;
36 but whoever misses me harms himself, all who hate me are in love with death.’