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¹ Does not wisdom call? And does not understanding speak?² She stands in the top of high places, by the wayside, in the houses of the paths,³ beside the gates; at the mouth of the city, at the doors, she cries.⁴ I call to you, O men, and my voice is to the sons of men.⁵ Understand wisdom, simple ones; and fools, be of an understanding heart.⁶ Hear, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips shall be right things.⁷ For my mouth shall speak of truth, and wickedness is hateful to my lips.⁸ All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them;⁹ they are all plain to the understanding one; and right to those who find knowledge.¹⁰ Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge, rather than choice gold.¹¹ For wisdom is better than jewels, and all delights cannot be compared to it.

¹² I, wisdom, dwell with sense, and I find knowledge of discretions.¹³ The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; I hate pride and loftiness, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth.¹⁴ Counsel and sound wisdom are mine; I am understanding; I have strength.¹⁵ By me kings reign, and leaders decree righteousness.¹⁶ Rulers and nobles rule by me, and all the judges of the earth.¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me early find me.¹⁸ Riches and honor are with me; enduring wealth and righteousness.¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my increase is better than the best silver.²⁰ I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;²¹ to cause those who love me to inherit wealth, and I will fill up their treasuries.

²² Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of His way, from then, before His works.²³ I was set up from everlasting, from that which was before the earth.²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no springs heavy with water.²⁵ Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth;²⁶ before He had made the earth and the fields, or the highest part of the dust of the world.²⁷ When He prepared the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle on the face of the deep,²⁸ when He formed the clouds above, when He made the strong fountains of the deep,²⁹ when He gave to the sea its limit, that the waters should not pass beyond His command; when He decreed the foundations of the earth,³⁰ then I was at His side, like a master workman; and I was His delights day by day, rejoicing before Him at every time;³¹ rejoicing in the world, His earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.

³² And now listen to me, O sons, for blessed are those who keep my ways.³³ Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it.³⁴ Blessed is the man listening to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life, and he shall obtain favor from Jehovah.³⁶ But he who sins against me does violence to his own soul; all who hate me love death.