New American Standard Bible 1995

International Standard Version

1Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?

1Isn't wisdom calling out; isn't understanding raising her voice?

2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

2On top of the highest places along the road she stands where the roads meet.

3Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

3Beside the gates, at the city entrance— at the entrance to the portals she cries aloud:

4"To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.

4"I'm calling to you, men! What I have to say pertains to all mankind!

5"O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.

5Understand prudence, you naïve people; and gain an understanding heart, you foolish ones.

6"Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

6Listen, because I have noble things to say, and what I have to say will reveal what is right.

7"For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

7For my mouth speaks the truth— wickedness is detestable to me.

8"All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

8Everything I have to say is just; there isn't anything corrupt or perverse in my speech.

9"They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.

9Everything I say is sensible to someone who understands, and correct to those who have acquired knowledge.

10"Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

10Grab hold of my instruction in lieu of money and knowledge instead of the finest gold,

11"For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

11because wisdom is better than precious gems and nothing you desire can compare to it."

12"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.

12"I, wisdom, am related to prudence. I know how to be discreet.

13"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. Pride, arrogance, an evil lifestyle, and perverted speech I despise.

14"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

14Counsel belongs to me, along with sound judgment. I am understanding. Power belongs to me.

15"By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

15Kings reign by me, and rulers dispense justice through me.

16"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.

16By me leaders rule, as do noble officials and all who govern justly.

17"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.

17I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me.

18"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.

18Wealth and honor accompany me, as do enduring wealth and righteousness.

19"My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver.

19My fruit is better than gold, better than even refined gold, and my benefit surpasses the purest silver.

20"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

20I walk on the way of righteousness, along paths that are just,

21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

21I bequeath wealth to those who love me, and I will fill their treasuries."

22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.

22"The LORD made me as he began his planning, before his ancient activity commenced.

23"From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

23From eternity I was appointed, from the beginning, from before there was land.

24"When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.

24When there were no ocean depths, I brought them to birth at a time when there were no springs.

25"Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;

25Before the mountains were shaped, before there were hills, I was bringing them to birth.

26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.

26Even though he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the world's first grains of dust,

27"When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

27when he crafted the heavens, I was there— when he marked out a circle on the face of the deep,

28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,

28when he made the clouds from above, when the springs of the depths were established,

29When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;

29when he set a boundary for the sea so the waters would not exceed his limits, when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,

30Then I was with him, his master craftsman— I was his delight daily, continuously rejoicing in his presence,

31Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

31rejoicing in his inhabitable world and taking delight in mankind."

32"Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways.

32"So listen to me, children! Blessed are those who obey me.

33"Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.

33Listen to instruction and be wise. Don't ignore it.

34"Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

34Blessed is the person who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorways—

35"For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD.

35because those who find me find life and gain favor from the LORD.

36"But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death."

36But whoever sins against me destroys himself; everyone who hates me loves death."

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.