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¹ Does wisdom not call? And understanding give forth her voice?² At the head of high places by the way, || She has stood between the paths,³ At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, || The entrance of the openings, she cries aloud,⁴ "To you, O men, I call, || And my voice [is] to the sons of men.⁵ Understand, you simple ones, prudence, || And you fools, understand the heart,⁶ Listen, for I speak noble things, || And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.⁷ For my mouth utters truth, || And wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips.⁸ All the sayings of my mouth [are] in righteousness, || Nothing in them is contrary and perverse.⁹ All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, || And upright to those finding knowledge.¹⁰ Receive my instruction, and not silver, || And knowledge rather than choice gold.¹¹ For wisdom [is] better than rubies, || Indeed, all delights are not comparable with it.

¹² I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, || And I find out a knowledge of purposes.¹³ The fear of YHWH [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, || And a contrary mouth, I have hated.¹⁴ Counsel and substance [are] mine, || I [am] understanding, I have might.¹⁵ By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,¹⁶ By me chiefs rule, and nobles, || All judges of earth.¹⁷ I love those loving me, || And those seeking me earnestly find me.¹⁸ Wealth and honor [are] with me, || Lasting substance and righteousness.¹⁹ My fruit [is] better than gold, even fine gold, || And my increase than choice silver.²⁰ I cause to walk in a path of righteousness, || In midst of paths of judgment,²¹ To cause my lovers to inherit substance, || Indeed, I fill their treasures.

²² YHWH possessed me—the beginning of His way, || Before His works since then.²³ I was anointed from the age, from the first, || From former states of the earth.²⁴ In there being no depths, I was brought forth, || In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,²⁵ Before mountains were sunk, || Before heights, I was brought forth.²⁶ While He had not made the earth, and out-places, || And the top of the dusts of the world.²⁷ In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, || In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,²⁸ In His strengthening clouds above, || In His making strong fountains of the deep,²⁹ In His setting for the sea its limit, || And the waters do not transgress His command, || In His decreeing the foundations of earth,³⁰ Then I am near Him, a workman, || And I am a delight—day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,³¹ Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, || And my delights [are] with the sons of men.

³² And now, you sons, listen to me, || Indeed, blessed are they who keep my ways.³³ Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not slight.³⁴ O the blessedness of the man listening to me, || To watch at my doors day by day, || To watch at the doorposts of my entrance.³⁵ For whoever is finding me, has found life, || And brings out goodwill from YHWH.³⁶ And whoever is missing me, is wronging his soul, || All hating me have loved death!"