Proverbes 8

¹ Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice? ² On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand. ³ Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud. ⁴ Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man: ⁵ O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense. ⁶ Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. ⁷ For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. ⁸ All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them. ⁹ They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. ¹⁰ Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold: ¹¹ for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it. ¹² I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection. ¹³ The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate. ¹⁴ Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength. ¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees; ¹⁶ by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth. ¹⁷ I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me. ¹⁸ Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness. ¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver. ²⁰ I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: ²¹ that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries. ²² Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. ²³ I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was. ²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. ²⁵ Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; ²⁶ while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world. ²⁷ When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep; ²⁸ when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong; ²⁹ when he imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth: ³⁰ then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; ³¹ rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men. ³² And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways: ³³ hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. ³⁴ Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. ³⁵ For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah; ³⁶ but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.