| New International Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? | 1Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? |
| 2At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; | 2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand; |
| 3beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, 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 people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. | 4"To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. |
| 5You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. | 5"O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom. |
| 6Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. | 6"Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things. |
| 7My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. | 7"For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. |
| 8All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. | 8"All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them. |
| 9To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. | 9"They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. |
| 10Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, | 10"Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold. |
| 11for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. | 11"For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. |
| 12"I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. | 12"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion. |
| 13To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. | 13"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate. |
| 14Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power. | 14"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. |
| 15By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just; | 15"By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. |
| 16by me princes govern, and nobles--all who rule on earth. | 16"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly. |
| 17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. | 17"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. |
| 18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. | 18"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness. |
| 19My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses 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, along the paths of justice, | 20"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, |
| 21bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full. | 21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. |
| 22"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; | 22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. |
| 23I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. | 23"From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. |
| 24When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; | 24"When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water. |
| 25before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, | 25"Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth; |
| 26before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. | 26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world. |
| 27I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon 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 established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, | 28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed, |
| 29when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and 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 constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, | 30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, |
| 31rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. | 31Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men. |
| 32"Now then, my children, 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. |
| 33Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. | 33"Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it. |
| 34Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. | 34"Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts. |
| 35For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD. | 35"For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD. |
| 36But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death." | 36"But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death." |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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