Old Testament · Poetry and wisdom

Proverbs chapter 8

Doesn’t call out? Doesn’t raise her voice?At the highest points overlooking the road, at the crossroads — that’s where she takes her stand.Right beside the leading into the city, at every entrance, she cries out:“I’m calling out to you — every one of you! My voice goes out to all of .If you’re , learn to be . If you’re foolish, develop some .Listen — I have to say. When I open my mouth, what comes out is .My mouth speaks what is — I find disgusting.Every word I say is . None of it is or crooked.To anyone with understanding, every word is straightforward. To those who have found , it all makes sense.Choose my over silver. Choose knowledge over the finest gold.Because wisdom is worth more than jewels — nothing you could ever want even comes close.”“I am wisdom, and I live alongside . I possess knowledge and .To means hating what is evil. I hate , pride, evil behavior, and dishonest speech.I offer good advice and . I am understanding itself, and belongs to me.Kings use me to rule well. Rulers use me to make laws that are .Princes lead through me — every official who governs justly.I those who love me, and anyone who for me will find me.Riches and honor are mine to give — and .What I produce is better than gold — even the purest gold. What I yield is better than the finest silver.I walk along the path of , right down the middle of the road of ,giving to those who love me and filling their storehouses full.“ as the first of his work, before any of his ancient deeds.I was from the very beginning — from the earliest times, before the earth even existed.When there were no oceans, I was already there — before any springs were flowing with water.Before the mountains were , before the hills — I was born.This was before he had made the earth or its fields, before even the first handful of in the world.When he set the in place, I was there. When he drew the horizon over the face of ,when he secured the clouds overhead, when he locked down the ,when he set the for the sea so the water would never cross his command, when he laid the of the earth —I was right beside him, the . I was his every single day, in his presence all the time,playing across his whole earth, finding my delight in the .“So now, my children, listen to me. those who keep to my ways.Listen to and be wise — don’t ignore it.Life is good for the person who listens to me, at my doors every day, waiting beside my doorposts.Because whoever finds me finds and receives from Yahweh.But whoever misses me . Everyone who hates me is in love with .”