Proverbs8

Proverbs 8 personifies Wisdom, who cries out publicly, inviting all to hear her excellent and righteous instruction. She proclaims her supreme value, surpassing all earthly treasures, and asserts her role in the just governance of rulers. Wisdom reveals her pre-existence with the LORD before creation, delighting in His works and in humanity, concluding with an exhortation to seek her for life and favour.

Wisdom's Public Call

1
Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
2
She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
3
She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
4
O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.

The Excellence and Value of Wisdom

5
O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
6
Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
7
For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
8
All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
9
They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
10
Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
11
For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.

Wisdom's Attributes and Rewards

12
I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
13
The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride, and arrogancie, and the euill way: and a mouth that speaketh lewde things, I doe hate.
14
I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
15
By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
16
By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
17
I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
18
Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
19
My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.
20
I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes, and in the middes of the paths of iudgement,
21
That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.

Wisdom's Role in Creation

22
The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
23
I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
24
When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
25
Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
26
He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.
27
When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
28
When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
29
When he gaue his decree to the Sea, that the waters shoulde not passe his commandement: when he appointed the foundations of the earth,
30
Then was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
31
And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.

The Call to Hear and Find Life

32
Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
33
Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not: blessed is the man that heareth mee, watching dayly at my gates, and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores.
34
For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
35
But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
36
Consolidated into verse 35 by this translation.
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