- 1
- Doth not wisdom cry?
and understanding give forth her voice?
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- On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.
- 3
- Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.
- 4
- Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man:
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- O ye simple, understand prudence;
and ye foolish, understand sense.
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- Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
- 7
- For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
- 8
- All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
there is nothing tortuous or perverse in them.
- 9
- They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
- 10
- Receive my instruction, and not silver;
and knowledge rather than choice gold:
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- for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.
- 12
- I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection.
- 13
- The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil;
pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.
- 14
- Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence;
I have strength.
- 15
- By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;
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- by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
- 17
- I love those that love me;
and they that seek me early shall find me.
- 18
- Riches and honour are with me;
durable wealth and righteousness.
- 19
- My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold;
and my revenue than choice silver.
- 20
- I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
- 21
- that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;
and I will fill their treasuries.
- 22
- Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
- 23
- I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.
- 24
- When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.
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- Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;
- 26
- while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
- 27
- When he prepared the heavens I was there;
when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;
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- when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;
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- when he imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
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- then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
- 31
- rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men.
- 32
- And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways:
- 33
- hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
- 34
- Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
- 35
- For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah;
- 36
- but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
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