¹ Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding put forth her voice?

² On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

³ Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she cries aloud:

⁴ To you, O men, I call. And my voice is to the sons of men.

⁵ O ye simple, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.

⁶ Hear, for I will speak excellent things. And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

⁷ For my mouth shall utter truth. And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸ All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

⁹ They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who 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 to be compared to it.

¹² I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling, and find out knowledge and discretion.

¹³ The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil. Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.

¹⁴ Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge. I am understanding, I have might.

¹⁵ By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.

¹⁶ By me rulers rule, and ranking men, even all the judges of the earth.

¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently shall find me.

¹⁸ Riches and honor are with me, durable wealth and righteousness.

¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver.

²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice,

²¹ that I may cause those who love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.

²² Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

²³ I was set up from everlasting, 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. I was 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 established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,

²⁸ when he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong,

²⁹ when he gave to the sea its bound that the waters should not transgress his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

³⁰ then I was by him, a master workman. And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him,

³¹ rejoicing in his habitable earth. And my delight was with the sons of men.

³² Now therefore, ye sons, hearken to me. For blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³ Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it.

³⁴ Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

³⁵ For he who finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor of Jehovah.

³⁶ But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.