¹ Doth not wisdom cry?
and understanding put forth her voice?
² She standeth in the top of high places,
by the way in the places of the paths.
³ She crieth at the gates,
at the entry of the city,
at the coming in at the doors.
⁴ Unto you, O men, I call;
and my voice is to the sons of man.
⁵ O ye simple,
understand wisdom:
and, ye fools,
be ye of an understanding heart.
⁶ Hear;
for I will speak of excellent things;
and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
⁷ For my mouth shall speak truth;
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
⁸ All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
⁹ They are all plain to him that understandeth,
and right to them that find knowledge.
¹⁰ Receive my instruction,
and not silver;
and knowledge
rather than choice gold [fine gold].
¹¹ For wisdom is better than rubies;
and all the things that desired are not compared to it.
¹² I wisdom dwell with prudence,
and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

¹³ The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:
pride,
and arrogancy,
and the evil way,
and the froward mouth,
do I hate.
¹⁴ Counsel is mine,
and sound wisdom:
I am understanding;
I have strength.
¹⁵ By me kings reign,
and princes decree justice.
¹⁶ By me princes rule,
and nobles,
even all the judges of the earth.
¹⁷ I love them that love me;
and those that seek me early shall find me.
¹⁸ Riches and honour are with me;
yea, durable riches and righteousness.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold [fine gold],
yea, than fine gold [pure gold];
and my revenue than choice silver.
²⁰ I lead in the way of righteousness,
in the midst of the paths of judgment:
²¹ That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;
and I will fill their treasures.

²² The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way,
before his works of old.
²³ I was set up from everlasting,
from the beginning,
or ever the earth was.
²⁴ When there were no depths,
I was brought forth;
when there were no fountains abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were settled,
before the hills was I brought forth:
²⁶ While as yet he had not made the earth,
nor the fields,
nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
²⁷ When he prepared the heavens,
I was there:
when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
²⁸ When established the clouds above:
when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
²⁹ When he gave to the sea his decree,
that the waters should not pass his commandment:
when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
³⁰ Then I was by him,
as one brought up with him:
and I was daily [daily, daily] his delight,
rejoicing always before him;
³¹ Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
and my delights were with the sons of men.

³² Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children:
for blessed are they that keep my ways.
³³ Hear instruction,
and be wise,
and refuse it not.
³⁴ Blessed is the man that heareth me,
watching daily [daily, daily] at my gates,
waiting at the posts of my doors.
³⁵ For whoso findeth me findeth life,
and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
³⁶ But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
all they that hate me love death.