^8:1 Does not wisdom cry out and understanding put forth her voice? ^8:2 She stands on the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet. ^8:3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she cries aloud:

    ^8:4 To you^*, O men, I call. And my voice is to the sons of men. ^8:5 O you^* simple, understand prudence, and you^* fools, be of an understanding heart.

    ^8:6 Hear, because I will speak excellent things. And the opening of my lips will be in uprightness. ^8:7 Because my mouth will utter truth. And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

    ^8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them. ^8:9 They are all straightforward to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge.

    ^8:10 Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold. ^8:11 Because wisdom is better than rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

    ^8:12 I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling and find out knowledge and discretion.

    ^8:13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil. I hate: pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth.

    ^8:14 Counsel is mine and sound-wisdom. I am understanding; I have might.

    ^8:15 Kings reign and rulers decree justice by me. ^8:16 Rulers rule by me and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

    ^8:17 I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently will find me. ^8:18 Riches and honor are with me, durable wealth and righteousness. ^8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold and my revenue better than choice silver.

    ^8:20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, ^8:21 that I may cause those who love me to inherit substance and that I may fill their treasuries.

    ^8:22 Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of long-ago. ^8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was, ^8:24 when there were no depths. I was brought out when there were no fountains abounding with water, ^8:25 before the mountains were settled, before the hills. I was brought out ^8:26 while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

    ^8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,^8:28 when he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong, ^8:29 when he gave to the sea its boundary that the waters should not transgress his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, ^8:30 then I was by him, a master workman. And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, ^8:31 rejoicing in his habitable earth. And my delight was with the sons of men.

    ^8:32 Now therefore, you^* sons, listen to me. For those who keep my ways are fortunate. ^8:33 Hear instruction and be wise and do not refuse it.

    ^8:34 The man who hears me is fortunate, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. ^8:35 Because he who finds me finds life and will obtain favor of Jehovah.

    ^8:36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul.

    All those who hate me love death.