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The Gifts of Wisdom

8Does not wisdom call,
   and does not understanding raise her voice?
² On the heights, beside the way,
   at the crossroads she takes her stand;
³ beside the gates in front of the town,
   at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
⁴ ‘To you, O people, I call,
   and my cry is to all that live.
⁵ O simple ones, learn prudence;
   acquire intelligence, you who lack it.
⁶ Hear, for I will speak noble things,
   and from my lips will come what is right;
⁷ for my mouth will utter truth;
   wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
⁸ All the words of my mouth are righteous;
   there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
⁹ They are all straight to one who understands
   and right to those who find knowledge.
¹⁰ Take my instruction instead of silver,
   and knowledge rather than choice gold;
¹¹ for wisdom is better than jewels,
   and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
¹² I, wisdom, live with prudence,^*
   and I attain knowledge and discretion.
¹³ The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
   and perverted speech I hate.
¹⁴ I have good advice and sound wisdom;
   I have insight, I have strength.
¹⁵ By me kings reign,
   and rulers decree what is just;
¹⁶ by me rulers rule,
   and nobles, all who govern rightly.
¹⁷ I love those who love me,
   and those who seek me diligently find me.
¹⁸ Riches and honour are with me,
   enduring wealth and prosperity.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
   and my yield than choice silver.
²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,
   along the paths of justice,
²¹ endowing with wealth those who love me,
   and filling their treasuries.

Wisdom’s Part in Creation

²² The Lord created me at the beginning^* of his work,^*
   the first of his acts of long ago.
²³ Ages ago I was set up,
   at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,
   when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains had been shaped,
   before the hills, I was brought forth—
²⁶ when he had not yet made earth and fields,^*
   or the world’s first bits of soil.
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 limit,
   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 worker;^*
and I was daily his^* delight,
   rejoicing before him always,
³¹ rejoicing in his inhabited world
   and delighting in the human race.

³² ‘And now, my children, listen to me:
   happy are those who keep my ways.
³³ Hear instruction and be wise,
   and do not neglect it.
³⁴ Happy is the one who listens to me,
   watching daily at my gates,
   waiting beside my doors.
³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
   and obtains favour from the Lord;
³⁶ but those who miss me injure themselves;
   all who hate me love death.’

Wisdom’s Feast

9Wisdom has built her house,
   she has hewn her seven pillars.
² She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
   she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
   from the highest places in the town,
⁴ ‘You that are simple, turn in here!’
   To those without sense she says,
⁵ ‘Come, eat of my bread
   and drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Lay aside immaturity,^* and live,
   and walk in the way of insight.’

General Maxims

⁷ Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;
   whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.
⁸ A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you;
   the wise, when rebuked, will love you.
⁹ Give instruction^* to the wise, and they will become wiser still;
   teach the righteous and they will gain in learning.
¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
   and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹ For by me your days will be multiplied,
   and years will be added to your life.
¹² If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
   if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Folly’s Invitation and Promise

¹³ The foolish woman is loud;
   she is ignorant and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,
   on a seat at the high places of the town,
¹⁵ calling to those who pass by,
   who are going straight on their way,
¹⁶ ‘You who are simple, turn in here!’
   And to those without sense she says,
¹⁷ ‘Stolen water is sweet,
   and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’
¹⁸ But they do not know that the dead^* are there,
   that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.