Study Desk

Does not ^(C1)wisdom call, And understanding ^(F1)raise her voice?

On top of ^(C1)the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

Beside the ^(C1)gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

"To you, people, I call, And my voice is to ^(F1)mankind.

-"You ^(C1)naive ones, understand prudence; And, you ^(C2)fools, understand ^(F1)wisdom!

-"Listen, for I will speak ^(C1)noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal ^(C2)right things.

-"For my ^(C1)mouth will proclaim truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

-"All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing ^(C1)crooked or perverted in them.

-"They are all ^(C1)straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who ^(C2)find knowledge.

-"Accept my ^(C1)instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.

-"For wisdom is ^(C1)better than ^(F1)jewels; And ^(C2)all desirable things cannot compare with her.

"I, wisdom, ^(C1)dwell with prudence, And I find ^(C2)knowledge and discretion.

-"The ^(C1)fear of the LORD is to hate evil; ^(C2)Pride, arrogance, ^(C3)the evil way, And the ^(C4)perverted mouth, I hate.

-"^(C1)Advice is mine and ^(C2)sound wisdom; I am understanding, ^(C3)power is mine.

-"By me ^(C1)kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

-"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.

-"I ^(C1)love those who love me; And ^(C2)those who diligently seek me will find me.

-"^(C1)Riches and honor are with me, Enduring ^(C2)wealth and righteousness.

-"My fruit is ^(C1)better than gold, even pure gold; And my yield better than ^(C2)choice silver.

-"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may ^(C1)fill their treasuries.

"The LORD ^(F1)created me ^(C1)at the beginning of His way, Before His works ^(F2)of old.

-"From eternity I was ^(F1)(C1)established, From the beginning, ^(C2)from the earliest times of the earth.

-"When there were no ^(C1)ocean depths, I was born, When there were no springs abounding with water.

-"^(C1)Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was born;

While He had not yet made the earth and the ^(F1)fields, Nor the first dust of the world.

-"When He ^(C1)established the heavens, I was there; When ^(C2)He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became ^(F1)fixed,

When ^(C1)He set a boundary for the sea So that the water would not violate His ^(F1)command, When He marked out ^(C2)the foundations of the earth;

Then ^(C1)I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was His delight daily, ^(F1)Rejoicing always before Him,

^(F1)Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having ^(C1)my delight in the sons of mankind.

"Now then, sons, ^(C1)listen to me, For ^(C2)blessed are those who keep my ways.

-"^(C1)Listen to instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.

-"^(C1)Blessed is the person who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

-"For ^(C1)one who finds me finds life, And ^(C2)obtains favor from the LORD.

-"But one who ^(F1)sins against me ^(C1)injures himself; All those who ^(C2)hate me ^(C3)love death."