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Praising Wisdom

Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the hill beside the way, where the paths meet. Beside the gates in front of the town, at the open doors, she cries out, “I call to you, O men. My voice is to the sons of men. O child-like ones, learn to use wisdom. O fools, make your mind understand. Listen, for I will speak great things. What is right will come from my lips. For my mouth will speak the truth. My lips hate wrong-doing. All the words of my mouth are right and good. There is nothing in them that is against the truth. They are all clear to him who understands, and right to those who find much learning. 10 Take my teaching instead of silver. Take much learning instead of fine gold. 11 For wisdom is better than stones of great worth. All that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, live with understanding, and I find much learning and careful thinking. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate what is sinful. I hate pride, self-love, the way of sin, and lies. 14 I have teaching and wisdom. I have understanding and power. 15 By me kings rule and rulers make laws that are fair. 16 By me rulers rule, and all the princes rule on the earth. 17 I love those who love me, and those who look for me with much desire will find me. 18 Riches and honor are mine, lasting riches and being right with God. 19 My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold. What I give is better than fine silver. 20 I walk in the way that is right with God, in the center of the ways that are fair. 21 I give riches to those who love me, and fill their store-houses.

22 “The Lord made me at the beginning of His work, before His first works long ago. 23 I was set apart long ago, from the beginning, before the earth was. 24 I was born when there were no seas, when there were no pools full of water. 25 I was born before the mountains and hills were in their places. 26 It was before He had made the earth or the fields, or the first dust of the world. 27 I was there when He made the heavens, and when He drew a mark around the top of the sea. 28 I was there when He put the skies above, and when He put the wells of the waters in their place. 29 I was there when He marked out the places for the sea, so that the waters would not go farther than what He said. I was there when He marked out the ground for the earth. 30 I was beside Him as the leading workman. I was His joy every day. I was always happy when I was near Him. 31 I was happy in the world, His earth, and found joy in the sons of men.

32 “So now, O sons, listen to me, for happy are they who keep my ways. 33 Hear my teaching and be wise. Do not turn away from it. 34 Happy is the man who listens to me, watching every day at my gates, waiting beside my doors. 35 For he who finds me finds life, and gets favor from the Lord. 36 But he who misses me hurts himself. All those who hate me love death.”

Wisdom—or the Way to Hell

Wisdom has built her house. She has made seven pillars to hold it up. She has cooked her food, and has mixed her wine, and she has set her table. She has sent out the young women who work for her. She calls from the highest places of the city, “Whoever is easy to fool, let him turn in here!” She says to the one without understanding, “Come and eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Turn from your foolish way, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”

He who speaks strong words to the man who laughs at the truth brings shame upon himself. He who speaks strong words to a sinful man gets hurt. Do not speak strong words to a man who laughs at the truth, or he will hate you. Speak strong words to a wise man, and he will love you. Give teaching to a wise man and he will be even wiser. Teach a man who is right and good, and he will grow in learning. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To learn about the Holy One is understanding. 11 For by me your days will grow in number, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom is a help to you. If you laugh at the truth, you alone will suffer for it.

13 A foolish woman makes much noise. She is open to sin, and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the high places of the city. 15 She calls to those who pass by and are making their paths straight, 16 “Whoever is easy to fool, let him turn in here!” She says to the one without understanding, 17 “Stolen water is sweet. And bread eaten in secret is pleasing.” 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, and that the ones who visit her are in the bottom of hell.

The Wise Sayings of Solomon, Chapters 10 through 29

10 The sayings of Solomon:

A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

Riches taken by wrong-doing do no good, but doing what is right and good saves from death.

The Lord will not let those who are right with Him go hungry, but He puts to one side the desire of the sinful.

He who works with a lazy hand is poor, but the hand of the hard worker brings riches.

A son who gathers in summer is wise, but a son who sleeps during gathering time brings shame.

Good things are given to those who are right with God, but the mouth of the sinful hides trouble.

Those who are right with God are remembered with honor, but the name of the sinful will waste away.

The wise in heart will receive teaching, but a fast talking fool will become nothing.

He who is right in his walk is sure in his steps, but he who takes the wrong way will be found out.

10 He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a fast talking fool will become nothing.

11 The mouth of the one who is right with God is a well of life, but the mouth of the sinful hides trouble.

12 Hate starts fights, but love covers all sins.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a stick is for the back of him who has no understanding.

14 Wise men store up learning, but the foolish will be destroyed with their mouths.

15 The riches of a rich man are his strength, but the need of the poor is what destroys them.

16 The pay earned by those who are right with God is life, but the sinful are paid by being punished.

17 He who listens to teaching is on the path of life, but he who will not listen to strong words goes the wrong way.

18 He who hides hate has lying lips, and he who talks to hurt people is a fool.

19 The one who talks much will for sure sin, but he who is careful what he says is wise.

20 The tongue of those who are right with God is like fine silver, but the heart of the sinful is not worth much.

21 The lips of those who are right with God feed many, but fools die for want of understanding.

22 The good that comes from the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.

23 Doing wrong is like play to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom.

24 What the sinful man is afraid of will come upon him, and what is wanted by the man who is right with God will be given to him.

25 When the storm passes, the sinful man is no more, but the man who is right with God has a place to stand forever.

26 Like sour wine to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him.

27 The fear of the Lord makes life longer, but the years of the sinful will be cut off.

28 The hope of those who are right with God is joy, but the hope of the sinful comes to nothing.

29 The way of the Lord is a strong-place to those who are faithful, but it destroys those who do wrong.

30 Those who are right with God will never be shaken, but the sinful will not live in the land.

31 The mouth of those who are right with God flows with wisdom, but the sinful tongue will be stopped.

32 The lips of those who are right with God speak what is pleasing to others, but the mouth of the sinful speaks only what is bad.

11 The Lord hates a false weight, but a true weight is His joy.

When pride comes, then comes shame, but wisdom is with those who have no pride.

The honor of good people will lead them, but those who hurt others will be destroyed by their own false ways.

Riches are of no use in the day of God’s anger, but being right with God saves from death.

Those right with God, who are without blame, make a straight way for themselves, but the sinful will fall by their own wrong-doing.

Being right with God will save the honest man, but those who hurt others will be trapped by their wrong desires.

When a sinful man dies, his hope dies with him, and all his power comes to nothing.

The one who is right with God is kept from trouble, but the sinful get into trouble instead.

The sinful man destroys his neighbor with his mouth, but those who are fair will be saved through knowing God.

10 The city is glad when everything goes well with those who are right with God, and there are shouts of joy when the sinful are destroyed.

11 A city is honored by the good things that come to the faithful, but it is torn down by the mouth of the sinful.

12 He who hates his neighbor does not think well, but a man of understanding keeps quiet.

13 He who is always telling stories makes secrets known, but he who can be trusted keeps a thing hidden.

14 A nation falls where there is no wise leading, but it is safe where there are many wise men who know what to do.

15 He who puts himself as trust for what a stranger owes to another will suffer for it, but he who hates to be trusted for what another owes is safe.

16 A kind woman gets honor, and bad men get riches.

17 The man who shows loving-kindness does himself good, but the man without pity hurts himself.

18 The sinful man earns false pay, but he who spreads what is right and good gets pay that is sure.

19 He who will not be moved from being right with God will live, but he who goes for what is bad will bring about his own death.

20 The Lord hates those who are sinful in heart, but those who walk without blame are His joy.

21 Know for sure that the sinful man will not go without being punished, but the children of those who are right with God will be saved.

22 A beautiful woman who does not think well is like a gold ring in the nose of a pig.

23 The desire of those who are right with God is only good, but the hope of the sinful is anger.

24 There is one who is free in giving, and yet he grows richer. And there is one who keeps what he should give, but he ends up needing more.

25 The man who gives much will have much, and he who helps others will be helped himself.

26 The people curse him who keeps grain for himself, but good comes to him who sells it.

27 He who looks for good finds favor, but he who looks for wrong-doing will have bad come to him.

28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but those who are right with God will grow like a green leaf.

29 He who troubles his own house will be given the wind, and the foolish will serve those with a wise heart.

30 The fruit of those who are right with God is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

31 If those who are right with God will be paid on earth, how much more the sinful and the wrong-doer!