8:1 Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
8:2 At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
8:3 At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
8:4 `Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice `is' unto the sons of men.
8:5 Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
8:6 Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips `is' uprightness.
8:7 For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips `is' wickedness.
8:8 In righteousness `are' all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
8:9 All of them `are' plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
8:11 For better `is' wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
8:12 I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
8:13 The fear of Jehovah `is' to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
8:14 Mine `is' counsel and substance, I `am' understanding, I have might.
8:15 By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
8:16 By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
8:17 I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
8:18 Wealth and honour `are' with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
8:19 Better `is' my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
8:20 In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
8:21 To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
8:22 Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
8:23 From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
8:24 In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy `with' waters,
8:25 Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
8:26 While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
8:27 In His preparing the heavens I `am' there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
8:28 In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
8:29 In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
8:30 Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights `are' with the sons of men.
8:32 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
8:34 O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
8:35 For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
8:36 And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!