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¹ Does not wisdom call, does not understanding raise her voice?² On the heights beside the way, in the paths she takes her stand;³ beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:⁴ "To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the sons of men.⁵ O simple ones, learn prudence; O foolish men, pay attention.⁶ Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right;⁷ for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.⁸ All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.⁹ They are all straight to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge.¹⁰ Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold;¹¹ for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

¹² I, wisdom, dwell in prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.¹³ The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.¹⁴ I have counsel and sound wisdom, I have insight, I have strength.¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;¹⁶ by me princes rule, and nobles govern the earth.¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.¹⁸ Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity.¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,²¹ endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

²² The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.²³ Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.²⁵ Before the mountains had been shaped, 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 established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,²⁸ when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,²⁹ when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,³⁰ then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,³¹ rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men.

³² And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.³³ Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.³⁴ Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.³⁵ For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD;³⁶ but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death."