ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version

8 Does not l wisdom call?
Does not m understanding raise her voice?
 2 On n the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
 3 beside o the gates in front of p the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
 4 “To you, O q men, I call,
and my cry is to q the children of man.
 5 O r simple ones, learn s prudence;
O t fools, learn sense.
 6 Hear, for I will speak u noble things,
and from my lips will come v what is right,
 7 for my w mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing x twisted or crooked in them.
 9 They are all y straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 z Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 a for wisdom is better than jewels,
and b all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and c discretion.
13 d The fear of the Lord is e hatred of evil.
f Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and g perverted speech I hate.
14 I have h counsel and i sound wisdom;
I have insight; j I have strength.
15 By me k kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly. [1]
17 l I love those who love me,
and m those who seek me diligently find me.
18 n Riches and honor are with me,
o enduring wealth and o righteousness.
19 My fruit is p better than q gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than r choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.

22 s “The Lord t possessed [2] me at the beginning of his work, [3]
the first of his acts u of old.
23 Ages ago I was v set up,
at the first, w before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no x depths I was y brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains z had been shaped,
a before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he b established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew c a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he d made firm the skies above,
when he established [4] the fountains of the deep,
29 when he e assigned to the sea its f limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out g the foundations of the earth,
30 then h I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his [5] i delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 j rejoicing in his k inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.

32 “And now, l O sons, listen to me:
m blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 n Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 o Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For p whoever finds me q finds life
and r obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me s injures himself;
all who t hate me u love death.”