The Excellence of Wisdom 1 CPDV Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice? BSB BSB: Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2 CPDV At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths, BSB BSB: On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 CPDV beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying: BSB BSB: Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
4 CPDV “O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men. BSB BSB: “To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 CPDV O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls. BSB BSB: O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
6 CPDV Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right. BSB BSB: Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
7 CPDV My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious. BSB BSB: For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 CPDV All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity. BSB BSB: All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
9 CPDV They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge. BSB BSB: They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 CPDV Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold. BSB BSB: Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 CPDV For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her. BSB BSB: For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
12 CPDV I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts. BSB BSB: I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 CPDV The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue. BSB BSB: To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
14 CPDV Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine. BSB BSB: Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15 CPDV Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions. BSB BSB: By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
16 CPDV Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice. BSB BSB: By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
17 CPDV I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me. BSB BSB: I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
18 CPDV With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice. BSB BSB: With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 CPDV For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver. BSB BSB: My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
20 CPDV I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment, BSB BSB: I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 CPDV so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures. BSB BSB: bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
23 CPDV I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed. BSB BSB: From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 CPDV The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted. BSB BSB: When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
25 CPDV The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth. BSB BSB: Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 CPDV Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth. BSB BSB: before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
27 CPDV I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss; BSB BSB: I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 CPDV when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters; BSB BSB: when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
29 CPDV when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth. BSB BSB: when 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.
30 CPDV I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times, BSB BSB: Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
31 CPDV playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men. BSB BSB: I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
32 CPDV Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways. BSB BSB: Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 CPDV Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside. BSB BSB: Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
34 CPDV Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors. BSB BSB: Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
35 CPDV He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord. BSB BSB: For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
36 CPDV But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.” BSB BSB: But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.