Proverbs
8 Is not wisdom calling out?
Is not discernment raising its voice?+
3 Next to the gates leading into the city,
At the entrances of the doorways,
It keeps crying out loudly:+
6 Listen, for what I say is important,
My lips speak what is right;
7 For my mouth softly utters truth,
And my lips detest what is wicked.
8 All the sayings of my mouth are righteous.
None of them are twisted or crooked.
9 They are all straightforward to the discerning
And right to those who have found knowledge.
10 Take my discipline instead of silver,
And knowledge rather than the finest gold,+
11 For wisdom is better than corals;*
All other desirable things cannot compare to it.
13 The fear of Jehovah means the hating of bad.+
I hate self-exaltation and pride+ and the evil way and perverse speech.+
16 By me princes keep ruling,
And nobles judge in righteousness.
19 My fruitage is better than gold, even refined gold,
And what I produce is better than the finest silver.+
20 I walk in the path of righteousness,
In the middle of the pathways of justice;
21 I give a rich inheritance to those who love me,
And I fill up their storehouses.
24 When there were no deep waters,+ I was brought forth,*
When there were no springs overflowing with water.
25 Before the mountains were set in place,
Before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 When he had not yet made the earth and its fields
Or the first clods of earth’s soil.
27 When he prepared the heavens,+ I was there;
When he marked out the horizon* on the surface of the waters,+
28 When he established* the clouds above,
When he founded the fountains of the deep,
29 When he set a decree for the sea
That its waters should not pass beyond his order,+
When he established* the foundations of the earth,
I was the one he was especially fond of+ day by day;
I rejoiced before him all the time;+
31 I rejoiced over his habitable earth,
And I was especially fond of the sons of men.*
32 And now, my sons, listen to me;
Yes, happy are those who keep my ways.