Proverbs 8 · Clearspring

The Excellence of Wisdom

¹Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?+ ²On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.+ ³Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:+ ⁴“To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.+ ⁵You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.+ ⁶Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.+ ⁷For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.+ ⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.+ ⁹They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.+ ¹⁰Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.+ ¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.+ ¹²“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.+ ¹³The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.+ ¹⁴Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.+ ¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.+ ¹⁶By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.+ ¹⁷I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.+ ¹⁸With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.+ ¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.+ ²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice;+ ²¹that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.+ ²²“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.+ ²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.+ ²⁴When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.+ ²⁵Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;+ ²⁶while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.+ ²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,+ ²⁸when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,+ ²⁹when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;+ ³⁰then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,+ ³¹rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.+ ³²“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.+ ³³Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.+ ³⁴Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.+ ³⁵For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh.+ ³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”+

The Excellence of Wisdom

Study Proverbs 8