Proverbs 8
Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom’s Appeal
8 Doesn’t wisdom(A) call out?
Doesn’t understanding make her voice heard?
2 At the heights overlooking the road,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand.
3 Beside the gates(B) leading into the city,
at the main entrance, she cries out:
4 “People, I call out to you;
my cry is to the children of Adam.
5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;
develop common sense, you who are foolish.
6 Listen, for I speak of noble things,
and what my lips say is right.
7 For my mouth tells the truth,(C)
and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 All the words from my mouth are righteous;
none of them are deceptive or perverse.(D)
9 All of them are clear to the perceptive,(E)
and right to those who discover knowledge.
10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.(F)
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,(G)
and nothing desirable can equal it.(H)
12 I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness
and have knowledge and discretion.(I)
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.(J)
I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,
and perverse speech.
14 I possess good advice and sound wisdom;[a]
I have understanding and strength.(K)
15 It is by me that kings reign(L)
and rulers enact just law;
16 by me, princes lead,
as do nobles and all righteous judges.[b]
17 I love those who love me,(M)
and those who search for me find me.(N)
18 With me are riches and honor,(O)
lasting wealth and righteousness.(P)
19 My fruit is better than solid gold,
and my harvest than pure silver.(Q)
20 I walk in the ways of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 “The Lord acquired[c] me
at the beginning of his creation,[d]
before his works of long ago.(R)
23 I was formed[e] before ancient times,
from the beginning, before the earth began.(S)
24 I was born
when there were no watery depths(T)
and no springs filled with water.
25 Before the mountains were established,
prior to the hills,(U) I was given birth—
26 before he made the land, the fields,
or the first soil on earth.
27 I was there when he established the heavens,(V)
when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,(W)
28 when he placed the skies above,
when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,
29 when he set a limit for the sea
so that the waters would not violate his command,(X)
when he laid out the foundations of the earth.(Y)
30 I was a skilled craftsman[f] beside him.(Z)
I was his[g] delight every day,
always rejoicing before him.
31 I was rejoicing in his inhabited world,(AA)
delighting in the children of Adam.(AB)
32 “And now, sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy.(AC)
33 Listen to instruction and be wise;(AD)
don’t ignore it.
34 Anyone who listens to me is happy,(AE)
watching at my doors every day,
waiting by the posts of my doorway.
35 For the one who finds me finds life(AF)
and obtains favor from the Lord,(AG)
36 but the one who misses me[h] harms himself;(AH)
all who hate me love death.”(AI)
Proverbs 8
Tree of Life Version
Wisdom Appeals at the Gates
8 Does not wisdom cry out,
and understanding lift her voice?
2 On the topmost heights along the way,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand.
3 Beside the gates leading into the city,
at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call out!
My cry is to all mankind!
5 O naïve ones, learn prudence!
Fools, gain understanding!
6 Listen, for I speak excellent things,
and my lips utter right things.
7 For my mouth speaks truth,
and my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous,
Nothing in them is perverse or crooked.
9 All of them are straightforward to the discerning,
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,
nothing you desire compares with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and acquire knowledge with discretion.
13 To fear Adonai is to hate evil.
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and a perverse mouth.
14 Counsel and sound wisdom are mine.
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign
and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes govern,
and all nobles who judge righteously.
17 I love those who love me.
Those who earnestly seek me find me.[a]
18 With me are wealth and honor,
enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than refined gold,
my harvest better than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along paths of justice.
21 I endow substance to those who love me
and fill their treasuries.
Wisdom Before Creation
22 “Adonai brought me forth,
the first of His way,
before His works of old.
23 From eternity I was appointed
from the beginning, before the world began.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth.
26 He had not yet made the land,
the fields, or the first dust of the earth.
27 When He set the heavens in place, I was there.
When He inscribed the horizon on the face of the ocean,
28 when He established the skies above,
when He securely fixed the fountains of the deep,
29 when He set the boundaries for the sea,
so that the waters never transgress His command,
when He laid out earth’s foundations—
30 then I was the craftsman beside Him,
I was His daily delight, always rejoicing before Him,
31 rejoicing in His whole world,
and delighting in mankind.
32 “So now, children, listen to me!
Blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Heed discipline and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting at my doorposts.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from Adonai.
36 But whoever fails to find me harms his life—
all who hate me love death.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:17 cf. Matt. 7:8.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.