Proverbs 8 · Clearspring

The Excellence of Wisdom

¹Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?+ ²On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.+ ³Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:+ ⁴“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.+ ⁵O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.+ ⁶Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.+ ⁷For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.+ ⁸All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.+ ⁹They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.+ ¹⁰Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.+ ¹¹For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.+ ¹²I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.+ ¹³To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.+ ¹⁴Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.+ ¹⁵By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;+ ¹⁶By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.+ ¹⁷I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.+ ¹⁸With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.+ ¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.+ ²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,+ ²¹bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.+ ²²The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.+ ²³From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.+ ²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.+ ²⁵Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,+ ²⁶before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.+ ²⁷I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,+ ²⁸when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,+ ²⁹when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.+ ³⁰Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.+ ³¹I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.+ ³²Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.+ ³³Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.+ ³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.+ ³⁵For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.+ ³⁶But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”+

The Excellence of Wisdom

Study Proverbs 8