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 wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2
At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
4
`Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice is unto the sons of men.

The Excellence and Value of Wisdom

5
Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6
Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips is uprightness.
7
For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips is wickedness.
8
In righteousness are all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9
All of them are plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
10
Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11
For better is wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.

Wisdom's Attributes and Rewards

12
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
13
The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
14
Mine is counsel and substance, I am understanding, I have might.
15
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16
By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18
Wealth and honour are with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19
Better is my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20
In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
21
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

Wisdom's Role in Creation

22
Jehovah possessed me--the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23
From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy with waters,
25
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27
In His preparing the heavens I am there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight--day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights are with the sons of men.

The Call to Hear and Find Life

32
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
33
Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
34
O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
35
For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
36
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
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