8:1 Does not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?
8:2 On the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she stands;
8:3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she cries aloud:
8:4 To you+, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of man.
8:5 O you+ simple, understand prudence; And, you+ fools, be of an understanding heart.
8:6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips will be right things.
8:7 For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is disgusting to my lips.
8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
8:9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold.
8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
8:12 I, wisdom, stay with prudence, And find out knowledge [and] discretion.
8:13 The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, I hate.
8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.
8:15 By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
8:16 By me princes rule, And nobles, [even] all those who govern righteously.
8:17 I love those who love me; And those who seek me diligently will find me.
8:18 Riches and honor are with me; [Yes,] durable wealth and righteousness.
8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver.
8:20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;
8:21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries.
8:22 Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.
8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was.
8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water.
8:25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;
8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle on the face of the deep,
8:28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,
8:29 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;
8:30 Then I was by him, [as] a master craftsman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him,
8:31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of man.
8:32 Now therefore, [my] sons, listen to me; For blessed are those who keep my ways.
8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, And don't refuse it.
8:34 Blessed is [the] man who hears me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.
8:35 For whoever finds me finds life, And will obtain favor of Yahweh.
8:36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul: All those who hate me love death.