|
Chapter 8 |
| 1 | Doth not
wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? |
| 2 | She standeth
in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. |
| 3 |
She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the
doors. |
| 4 |
Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of
man. |
| 5 |
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an
understanding heart. |
| 6 | Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;
and the opening of my lips shall be right things. |
| 7 | For my mouth
shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. |
| 8 | All
the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward 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 to be
compared to it. |
|
12 | I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out
knowledge of witty inventions. |
| 13 | The fear of the LORD 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 understanding; I have
strength. |
| 15
| By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. |
| 16 |
By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. |
| 17 |
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
|
| 18 | Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and
righteousness. |
|
19 | My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
and my revenue than choice silver. |
| 20 | I lead in the way 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
treasures. |
| 22
| The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before
his works of old. |
| 23 | I was set up from everlasting, from the
beginning, or ever 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 highest part of the dust of the world. |
| 27 | When he
prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the
depth: |
| 28
| When he established the clouds above: when he
strengthened the fountains of the deep: |
|
29 | When he gave to 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, as one brought up
with him: 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 | Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for
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 shall obtain favour of the LORD. |
| 36 |
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me
love death. |
