AB - Proverbs - 8

8:1  You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.

8:2  For she is on lofty heights, and stands in the midst of the ways.

8:3  For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, saying,

8:4  You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.

8:5  O you simple, understand prudence, and you that are untaught, take in knowledge.

8:6  Listen to me, for I will speak solemn truths; and I will produce right sayings from my lips.

8:7  For my mouth shall meditate truth, and false lips are an abomination before me.

8:8  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.

8:9  They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.

8:10  Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

8:11  For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.

8:12  I, wisdom, have dwelt with counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.

8:13  The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, insolence, pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.

8:14  Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.

8:15  By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

8:16  By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.

8:17  I love those that love me, and they that seek me shall find me.

8:18  Wealth and glory belong to me; yea, abundant possessions and righteousness.

8:19  It is better to have my fruit than to have gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.

8:20  I walk in ways of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment;

8:21  that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that happen daily, I will remember also to recount the things of old.

8:22  The Lord made me the beginning of His ways for His works.

8:23  He established me in the beginning, before time was, before He made the earth.

8:24  Even before He made the depths, before the fountains of water came forth;

8:25  before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, He begot me.

8:26  The Lord made countries and uninhabited lands, and the highest inhabited parts of the world.

8:27  When He prepared the heaven, I was present with Him; and when He prepared His throne upon the winds;

8:28  and when He strengthened the clouds above, and when He secured the fountains of the earth;

8:29  and when He strengthened the foundations of the earth;

8:30  I was by Him, suiting myself to Him, I was that in which He took delight; and daily I rejoiced in His presence continually.

8:31  For He rejoiced when He had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.

8:32  Now then, my son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;

8:34  watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.

8:35  For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord.

8:36  But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls, and they that hate me love death.