The Excellence of Wisdom 1 ULT Does not Wisdom call out, and Understanding give her voice? BSB BSB: Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2 ULT At the head of the heights beside the road, the house of the paths, she stations herself. BSB BSB: On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 ULT At the hand of the gates, at the mouth of the city, the entrance of the openings, she cries out. BSB BSB: Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
4 ULT “To you, men, I call, and my voice{ is} to the sons of man. BSB BSB: “To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 ULT Understand prudence, naive ones, and stupid ones, understand heart. BSB BSB: O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
6 ULT Listen, for noble things I will speak, and the opening of my lips{ will be} upright things. BSB BSB: Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
7 ULT For my palate will utter truth, and wickedness{ is} an abomination to my lips. BSB BSB: For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 ULT All the words of my mouth{ are} in righteousness; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. BSB BSB: All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
9 ULT All of them{ are} straightforward things for the understanding one and upright things for finders of knowledge. BSB BSB: They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 ULT Take my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. BSB BSB: Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 ULT For wisdom{ is} better than coral pearls, and all desired things do not compare with her. BSB BSB: For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
12 ULT I, Wisdom, I dwell with Prudence, and knowledge of discretion I find. BSB BSB: I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 ULT The fear of Yahweh{ is} to hate evil. Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the mouth of perverse things I hate. BSB BSB: To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
14 ULT Counsel and sound wisdom{ are} mine; I{ am} understanding; strength{ is} mine. BSB BSB: Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15 ULT By me kings reign and dignitaries decree righteousness. BSB BSB: By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
16 ULT By me, princes rule, and nobles, all judges of righteousness. BSB BSB: By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
17 ULT I myself love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me will find me. BSB BSB: I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
18 ULT Riches and honor{ are} with me, lasting wealth and righteousness. BSB BSB: With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 ULT My fruit{ is} better than gold and than refined gold, and my produce, than choice silver. BSB BSB: My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
20 ULT I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the pathways of justice, BSB BSB: I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 ULT to cause those who love me to inherit substance; and their treasuries, I will fill. BSB BSB: bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
23 ULT From eternity I was poured out, from the head, from the ancient times of the earth. BSB BSB: From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 ULT When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs heavy with water. BSB BSB: When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
25 ULT Before the mountains were sunk, to the face of the hills, I was brought forth, BSB BSB: Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 ULT before he made the earth or the outside places or the head of the loose soil of the world. BSB BSB: before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
27 ULT When he established the heavens, I{ was} there, when he inscribed a circle over the face of the watery deep, BSB BSB: I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 ULT when he made firm the clouds above, when the springs of the watery deep became strong, BSB BSB: when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
29 ULT when he set up for the sea its statute, so waters do not cross over his mouth, when he inscribed 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 ULT Then I was beside him{ as} a skilled worker, and I was a delight day{ by} day, frolicking before his face at every time. BSB BSB: Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
31 ULT Frolicking in the world of his earth, and my delights{ were} with the sons of man. BSB BSB: I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
32 ULT And now, sons, listen to me, and happy{ are} they{ who} keep my ways. BSB BSB: Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 ULT Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not neglect{ it}. BSB BSB: Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
34 ULT Happy{ is} the man listening to me, keeping vigil over my doors day{ by} day, keeping watch{ over} the doorposts of my entrances. BSB BSB: Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
35 ULT For a finder of me{ is} a finder of life, and he obtains favor from Yahweh. BSB BSB: For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
36 ULT But a misser of me does violence to his life; all haters of 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.