English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?

1Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?

2On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;

2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

3beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

3Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

4“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.

4"To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.

5O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.

5"O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.

6Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,

6"Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

7for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

7"For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

8"All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

9They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

9"They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.

10Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

10"Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

11for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

11"For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

12"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.

13The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

13"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

14I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.

14"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

15By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;

15"By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

16by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.

16"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.

17I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

17"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.

18Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.

18"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.

19My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.

19"My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver.

20I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,

20"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

21granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

22“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.

23Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

23"From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

24When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

24"When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.

25Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,

25"Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;

26before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.

26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.

27When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

27"When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

28when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,

28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,

29when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

29When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;

30then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,

30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,

31rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.

31Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

32“And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.

32"Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways.

33Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

33"Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.

34Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

34"Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

35For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,

35"For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD.

36but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

36"But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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