New King James Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
1Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? | 1Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? |
2She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. | 2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand; |
3She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: | 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 voice is to the sons of men. | 4"To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. |
5O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. | 5"O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom. |
6Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; | 6"Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things. |
7For my mouth will speak 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 with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. | 8"All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them. |
9They are all plain 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. |
10Receive my instruction, and not 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 rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. | 11"For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. |
12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. | 12"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion. |
13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth 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. |
14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. | 14"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. |
15By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. | 15"By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. |
16By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. | 16"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly. |
17I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will 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 riches and righteousness. | 18"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness. |
19My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. | 19"My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver. |
20I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, | 20"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, |
21That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill 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 way, Before His works of old. | 22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. |
23I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an 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 fountains abounding 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, Before the hills, I was brought forth; | 25"Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth; |
26While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. | 26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world. |
27When He prepared 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 established the clouds above, When He strengthened 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 would 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 as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, | 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 my delight was with the sons of men. | 31Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men. |
32“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For 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 disdain it. | 33"Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it. |
34Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of 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 sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.” | 36"But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death." |
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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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