nothing
13 uBlessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 vfor the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than wgold.
15 She is more precious than xjewels,
and ynothing you desire can compare with her.
16 zLong life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are ariches and honor.
17 Her bways are ways of pleasantness,
18 She is ca tree of life to those who dlay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.
19 eThe Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding ehe established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge fthe deeps broke open,
and gthe clouds drop down the dew.
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
olove her, and she will guard you.
7 pThe beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get ginsight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will qhonor you rif you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head sa graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10 fHear, tmy son, and accept my words,
that uthe years of your life may be many.
11 I have vtaught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, wyour step will not be hampered,
and xif you run, you will not stumble.
13 yKeep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your zlife.
8 Does not lwisdom call?
Does not munderstanding raise her voice?
2 On nthe heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside othe gates in front of pthe town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O qmen, I call,
and my cry is to qthe children of man.
5 O rsimple ones, learn sprudence;
O tfools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak unoble things,
and from my lips will come vwhat is right,
7 for my wmouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing xtwisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all ystraight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 zTake my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 afor wisdom is better than jewels,
and ball that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and cdiscretion.
13 dThe fear of the Lord is ehatred of evil.
fPride and arrogance and the way of evil
and gperverted speech I hate.
14 I have hcounsel and isound wisdom;
I have insight; jI have strength.
15 By me kkings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
and nobles, all who govern justly.1
17 lI love those who love me,
and mthose who seek me diligently find me.
18 nRiches and honor are with me,
oenduring wealth and orighteousness.
19 My fruit is pbetter than qgold, even fine gold,
and my yield than rchoice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
22 s“The Lord tpossessed2 me at the beginning of his work,3
the first of his acts uof old.
23 Ages ago I was vset up,
at the first, wbefore the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no xdepths I was ybrought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains zhad been shaped,
abefore the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he bestablished the heavens, I was there;
when he drew ca circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he dmade firm the skies above,
when he established4 the fountains of the deep,
29 when he eassigned to the sea its flimit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out gthe foundations of the earth,
30 then hI was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his5 idelight,
31 jrejoicing in his kinhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32 “And now, lO sons, listen to me:
mblessed are those who keep my ways.
33 nHear instruction and be wise,
34 oBlessed is the one who listens to me,
35 For pwhoever finds me qfinds life
and robtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me sinjures himself;
all who thate me ulove death.”
9 vWisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her wseven xpillars.
2 She has yslaughtered her beasts; she has zmixed her wine;
she has also aset her table.
3 She has bsent out her young women to ccall
from dthe highest places in the town,
4 e“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
fTo him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, geat of my bread
and hdrink of zthe wine I have mixed.
6 Leave iyour simple ways,6 and jlive,
kand walk in the way of insight.”
24 kFour things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
25 xthe ants are a people not strong,
yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 ythe rock badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27 the locusts have no zking,
yet all of them march in arank;