| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice? | 1Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice! |
| 2On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand. | 2On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads. |
| 3Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out: | 3By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud, |
| 4“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men. | 4“I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people. |
| 5O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding. | 5You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding. |
| 6Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right. | 6Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. Everything I say is right, |
| 7For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips. | 7for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception. |
| 8All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse. | 8My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. |
| 9They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge. | 9My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. |
| 10Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. | 10Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. |
| 11For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her. | 11For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it. |
| 12I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. | 12“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. |
| 13To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. | 13All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. |
| 14Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength. | 14Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. |
| 15By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws; | 15Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees. |
| 16By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly. | 16Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments. |
| 17I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me. | 17“I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me. |
| 18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness. | 18I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice. |
| 19My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver. | 19My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! |
| 20I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, | 20I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. |
| 21bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full. | 21Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries. |
| 22The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old. | 22“The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. |
| 23From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began. | 23I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began. |
| 24When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water. | 24I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters. |
| 25Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth, | 25Before the mountains were formed, before the hills, I was born— |
| 26before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth. | 26before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil. |
| 27I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep, | 27I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. |
| 28when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth, | 28I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth. |
| 29when 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. | 29I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations, |
| 30Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence. | 30I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. |
| 31I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men. | 31And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family! |
| 32Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways. | 32“And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful. |
| 33Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. | 33Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. |
| 34Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway. | 34Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! |
| 35For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD. | 35For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. |
| 36But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.” | 36But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.” |
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