1. Will not wisdom call out, and understanding give forth its voice?
2. At the top of the heights upon the road; at the crossroads she stands.
3. Beside the gates, at the entrance of the roof, at the entrance of the portals she cries,
4. "To you, O men, I call, and my voice [is] to the children of man.
5. O simpletons, understand cunning, and you fools, give understanding to your heart.
6. Hearken for I will speak noble things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7. For my palate shall utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination of my lips.
8. All the sayings of my lips are with righteousness; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9. They are all true to the understanding one, and straight to those who find knowledge.
10. Take my discipline and not silver; knowledge is chosen above gold.
11. For wisdom is better than pearls; all desirable things cannot be compared to it.
12. I am wisdom; I dwelt [beside] cunning, and the knowledge of devices I will find.
13. Fear of the Lord is to hate evil, haughtiness, pride, the way of evil, and a perverse mouth; [these] I hate.
14. I have counsel and sound wisdom; I am understanding; I have might.
15. Kings reign with me, and rulers legislate righteousness.
16. Through me princes govern, and nobles, yea, all judges of righteousness.
17. I will love those who love me, and those who seek me eagerly will find me.
18. Riches and honor are with me, powerful wealth and charity.
19. My fruit is better than gold-yea than fine gold- and my produce [is better] than choice silver.
20. In the way of righteousness I will go, in the midst of the paths of justice.
21. There is substance to give inheritance to those who love me, and I will fill their treasuries.
22. The Lord acquired me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old.
23. From the distant past I was enthroned, from the beginning, of those that preceded the earth.
24. I was created when there were yet no deeps, when there were no fountains replete with water.
25. I was created before the mountains were sunk, before the hills;
26. when He had not yet made the land and the outsides and the beginning of the dust of the earth.
27. When He established the heavens, there I was, when He drew a circle over the face of the deep;
28. when He made the skies above firm, when He strengthened the fountains of the deep;
29. when He gave the sea its boundary, and the water shall not transgress His command, when He established the foundations of the earth
30. I was a nursling beside Him, and I was [His] delight every day, playing before Him at all times;
31. playing in the habitable world of His earth, and [having] my delights with the children of man.
32. And now, my children, hearken to me, and fortunate are those who observe my ways.
33. Hearken to discipline and become wise, and do not put it to naught.
34. Fortunate is the man who listens to me to watch by my doors day by day, to watch the doorposts of my entrances.
35. For he who has found me has found life, and he has obtained favor from the Lord.
36. But he who sins against me robs his soul; all who hate me, love death."
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