PROVERBS 8:1-26

¹Doth not wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice?

²In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;

³Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:

⁴Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men.

⁵O ye simple, understand subtilty; and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

⁶Hear, for I will speak excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

⁷For my mouth shall utter truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

⁹They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto her.

¹²I wisdom have made subtilty my dwelling, and find out knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

¹⁴Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.

¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

¹⁷I love them that love me; and those that seek me diligently shall find me.

¹⁸Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

²¹That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.

²²The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

²⁶While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.