Proverbs 8, side by side

¹Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?

¹Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

²On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.

²She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

³Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:

³She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

⁴“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.

⁴Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

⁵O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.

⁵O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

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

⁶Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

⁷For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

⁷For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.

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

⁹They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.

⁹They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

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

¹¹For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.

¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

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

¹²I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

¹³To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

¹³The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

¹⁴Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.

¹⁴Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

¹⁵By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;

¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.

¹⁶By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

¹⁷I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.

¹⁷I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

¹⁸With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.

¹⁸Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,

²⁰I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

²¹bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

²¹That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

²²The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.

²²The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

²³From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

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

²⁵Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

²⁶before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.

²⁶While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

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

²⁷When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

²⁸when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

²⁸When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

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.

²⁹When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

³⁰Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.

³⁰Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

³¹I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.

³¹Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

³²Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³²Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

³³Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.

³³Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.

³⁴Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

³⁵For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.

³⁵For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

³⁶But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”

³⁶But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.