Proverbs 8 - Modern English Version

The Gifts of Wisdom

¹ Does not wisdom cry out and understanding raise her voice?

² On top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand.

³ Beside the gates in front of the city, at the entrance of the doors she cries out:

⁴ “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the sons of men.

⁵ O you simple ones, understand prudence; and you fools, be of an understanding heart.

⁶ Listen, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips will disclose right things,

⁷ for my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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

⁹ They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰ Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

¹¹ for wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing you may desire can compare with her.

¹² “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I attain knowledge and discretion.

¹³ The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and perverse speech do I hate.

¹⁴ Counsel and sound wisdom are mine; I have understanding; I have power.

¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice;

¹⁶ by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern rightly.

¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.

¹⁸ Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.

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 those who love me with wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.

²² “The Lord created me at the beginning of His work, before His works of old.

²³ Ages ago I was established, at the beginning, before the earth existed.

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

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

²⁶ before He had made the earth or the fields or the first 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 boundary, 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 always in His presence,

³¹ rejoicing in His inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men.

³² “Now therefore, my sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³ Listen to instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

³⁴ Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord,

³⁶ but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.”