1 WYC Whether wisdom crieth not ofte; and prudence yyueth his vois? BSB BSB: Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2 WYC In souereyneste and hiy coppis, aboue the weie, in the myddis of pathis, BSB BSB: On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
3 WYC and it stondith bisidis the yate of the citee, in thilke closyngis, and spekith, and seith, A! BSB BSB: Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
4 WYC ye men, Y crie ofte to you; and my vois is to the sones of men. BSB BSB: “To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.
5 WYC Litle children, vndirstonde ye wisdom; and ye vnwise men, `perseyue wisdom. BSB BSB: O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
6 WYC Here ye, for Y schal speke of grete thingis; and my lippis schulen be openyd, to preche riytful thingis. BSB BSB: Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
7 WYC My throte schal bithenke treuthe; and my lippis schulen curse a wickid man. BSB BSB: For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 WYC My wordis ben iust; no schrewid thing, nether weiward is in tho. BSB BSB: All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.
9 WYC `My wordis ben riytful to hem that vndurstonden; and ben euene to hem that fynden kunnyng. BSB BSB: They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 WYC Take ye my chastisyng, and not money; chese ye teching more than tresour. BSB BSB: Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 WYC For wisdom is betere than alle richessis moost preciouse; and al desirable thing mai not be comparisound therto. BSB BSB: For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
12 WYC Y, wisdom, dwelle in counsel; and Y am among lernyd thouytis. BSB BSB: I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 WYC The drede of the Lord hatith yuel; Y curse boost, and pride, and a schrewid weie, and a double tungid mouth. BSB BSB: To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
14 WYC Counseil is myn, and equyte `is myn; prudence is myn, and strengthe `is myn. BSB BSB: Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15 WYC Kyngis regnen bi me; and the makeris of lawis demen iust thingis bi me. BSB BSB: By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
16 WYC Princis comaunden bi me; and myyti men demen riytfulnesse bi me. BSB BSB: By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.
17 WYC I loue hem that louen me; and thei that waken eerli to me, schulen fynde me. BSB BSB: I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
18 WYC With me ben rychessis, and glorie; souereyn richessis, and riytfulnesse. BSB BSB: With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 WYC My fruyt is betere than gold, and precyouse stoon; and my seedis ben betere than chosun siluer. BSB BSB: My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.
20 WYC Y go in the weies of riytfulnesse, in the myddis of pathis of doom; BSB BSB: I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21 WYC that Y make riche hem that louen me, and that Y fille her tresouris. BSB BSB: bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
23 WYC Fro with out bigynnyng Y was ordeined; and fro elde tymes, bifor that the erthe was maad. BSB BSB: From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.
24 WYC Depthis of watris weren not yit; and Y was conseyued thanne. The wellis of watris hadden not brokun out yit, BSB BSB: When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.
25 WYC and hillis stoden not togidere yit bi sad heuynesse; bifor litil hillis Y was born. BSB BSB: Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 WYC Yit he hadde not maad erthe; and floodis, and the herris of the world. BSB BSB: before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.
27 WYC Whanne he made redi heuenes, Y was present; whanne he cumpasside the depthis of watris bi certeyn lawe and cumpas. BSB BSB: I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 WYC Whanne he made stidfast the eir aboue; and weiede the wellis of watris. BSB BSB: when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,
29 WYC Whanne he cumpasside to the see his marke; and settide lawe to watris, that tho schulden not passe her coostis. Whanne he peiside the foundementis of erthe; 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 WYC Y was making alle thingis with him. And Y delitide bi alle daies, and pleiede bifore hym in al tyme, BSB BSB: Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.
31 WYC and Y pleiede in the world; and my delices ben to be with the sones of men. BSB BSB: I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.
32 WYC Now therfor, sones, here ye me; blessid ben thei that kepen my weies. BSB BSB: Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 WYC Here ye teching, and be ye wise men; and nile ye caste it awei. BSB BSB: Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
34 WYC Blessid is the man that herith me, and that wakith at my yatis al dai; and kepith at the postis of my dore. BSB BSB: Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
35 WYC He that fyndith me, schal fynde lijf; and schal drawe helthe of the Lord. BSB BSB: For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.
36 WYC But he that synneth ayens me, schal hurte his soule; alle that haten me, louen deeth. 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.