Proverbs 8

New Life Version

Praising Wisdom

8 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? ² She takes her stand on the top of the hill beside the way, where the paths meet. ³ Beside the gates in front of the town, at the open doors, she cries out, ⁴ “I call to you, O men. My voice is to the sons of men. ⁵ O child-like ones, learn to use wisdom. O fools, make your mind understand. ⁶ Listen, for I will speak great things. What is right will come from my lips. ⁷ For my mouth will speak the truth. My lips hate wrong-doing. ⁸ All the words of my mouth are right and good. There is nothing in them that is against the truth. ⁹ 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.”