✧Doesn’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“I call to you men! 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 the LORD 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“The LORD 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 the LORD. ✧36But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”