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8:1  Does not wisdom call, And understanding raise her voice?
8:2  On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
8:3  Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
8:4  “To you, people, I call, And my voice is to mankind.
8:5  You naive ones, understand prudence; And, you fools, understand wisdom!
8:6  Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.
8:7  For my mouth will proclaim truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8:8  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.
8:9  They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
8:10  Accept my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
8:11  For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.
8:12  “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.
8:13  The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride, arrogance, the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.
8:14  Advice is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.
8:15  By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
8:16  By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.
8:17  I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.
8:18  Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.
8:19  My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold; And my yield better than choice silver.
8:20  I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
8:21  To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
8:22  “The Lord created me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.
8:23  From eternity I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
8:24  When there were no ocean depths, I was born, When there were no springs abounding with water.
8:25  Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was born;
8:26  While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.
8:27  When He established the heavens, I was there; When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
8:28  When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,
8:29  When He set a boundary for the sea So that the water would not violate His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
8:30  Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was His delight daily, Rejoicing always before Him,
8:31  Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of mankind.
8:32  “Now then, sons, listen to me, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
8:33  Listen to instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.
8:34  Blessed is the person who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.
8:35  For one who finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord.
8:36  But one who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.”