CHAPTER 8
1Look, Wisdom calls out,
and Discernment lifts her voice.
2At the top of the heights, on the way,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand,
3by the gates, at the city’s entrance,
at the approach to the portals, she shouts:
4To you, men, I call out,
and my voice, to humankind.
5Understand shrewdness, you dupes,
and fools, make your heart understand.
6Listen, for I speak noble things,
my mouth’s utterance—uprightness.
7For my tongue declares truth
and my lips loathe wickedness.
8In the right are all my mouth’s sayings,
nothing in them is twisted or crooked.
9They are all plain to the discerning
and straightforward for those who find knowledge.
10Take my reproof rather than silver,
and knowledge is choicer than fine gold.
11For wisdom is better than rubies,
all precious things can’t match her worth.
12I, Wisdom, dwell in shrewdness,
and cunning knowledge I find.
13Fear of the LORD is hating evil.
Pride, haughtiness, an evil way,
and perverse speech do I hate.
14Mine is counsel and prudence,
I am Discernment, mine is might.
15Through me kings reign,
and rulers decree righteous laws.
16Through me princes hold sway,
and nobles, all the judges of earth.
17I, all my lovers I love,
and my seekers do find me.
18Riches and honor are with me,
long-lasting wealth and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than all fine gold,
and my yield, than the choicest silver.
20On the path of righteousness I walk,
within the ways of justice,
21to pass substance on to my lovers,
and their storehouses to fill.
22The LORD created me at the outset of His way,
the very first of His works of old.
23In remote eons I was shaped,
at the start of the first things of earth.
24When there were no deeps I was spawned,
when there were no wellsprings, water sources.
25Before mountains were anchored,
before hills I was spawned.
26He had yet not made earth and open land,
and the world’s first clods of soil.
27When He founded the heavens, I was there,
when He traced a circle on the face of the deep,
28when He propped up the skies above,
when He powered the springs of the deep,
29when He set to the sea its limit,
that the waters not flout His command,
when He strengthened the earth’s foundations.
30And I was by Him, an intimate,
I was His delight day after day,
playing before Him at all times,
31playing in the world, His earth,
and my delight with humankind.
32And now, sons, listen to me,
happy who keeps my ways.
33Listen to reproof and get wisdom,
and do not cast it aside.
34Happy the man who listens to me,
to wait at my doors day after day,
to watch the posts of my portals.
35For who finds me has found life,
and will be favored by the LORD.
36And who offends me lays waste his life,
all who hate me love death.