1: Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice? 2: On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand. 3: Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud. 4: Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man: 5: O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense. 6: Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7: For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8: All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them. 9: They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 10: Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold: 11: for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it. 12: I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection. 13: The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate. 14: Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength. 15: By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees; 16: by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth. 17: I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me. 18: Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness. 19: My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver. 20: I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 21: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries. 22: Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23: I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was. 24: When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25: Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; 26: while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27: When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep; 28: when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong; 29: when he imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30: then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31: rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men. 32: And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways: 33: hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. 34: Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35: For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah; 36: but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
