New Living Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!

1Doesn't Wisdom call out? Doesn't Understanding make her voice heard?

2On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads.

2At the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

3By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud,

3Beside the gates at the entry to the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:"

4“I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people.

4People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind.

5You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.

5Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

6Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. Everything I say is right,

6Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right.

7for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception.

7For my mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it.

8All the words of my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse.

9My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge.

9All of them are clear to the perceptive, and right to those who discover knowledge.

10Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

10Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

11For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.

11For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can compare with it.

12“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.

12I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion.

13All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.

13To fear the LORD is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

14Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine.

14I possess good advice and competence; I have understanding and strength.

15Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees.

15It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law;

16Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.

16by me, princes lead, as do nobles and all righteous judges.

17“I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.

17I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me.

18I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice.

18With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness.

19My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver!

19My fruit is better than solid gold, and my harvest than pure silver.

20I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice.

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

21Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.

21giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries."

22“The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else.

22The LORD made me at the beginning of His creation, before His works of long ago.

23I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began.

23I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began.

24I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters.

24I was born when there were no watery depths and no springs filled with water.

25Before the mountains were formed, before the hills, I was born—

25I was delivered before the mountains and hills were established,

26before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.

26before He made the land, the fields, or the first soil on earth.

27I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans.

27I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,

28I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.

28when He placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,

29I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,

29when He set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate His command, when He laid out the foundations of the earth.

30I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.

30I was a skilled craftsman beside Him. I was His delight every day, always rejoicing before Him.

31And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family!

31I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, delighting in the human race."

32“And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful.

32And now, my sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.

33Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.

33Listen to instruction and be wise; don't ignore it.

34Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!

34Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.

35For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.

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

36But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.”

36but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death."

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.