Study Desk

Doesn't Wisdom^(a) call out? Doesn't Understanding make her voice heard?

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

Beside the gates^(b) at the entry to^[a] the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:

"People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind.

Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right.

For my mouth tells the truth,^(c) and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse.^(d)

All of them are clear to the perceptive,^(e) and right to those who discover knowledge.

Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.^(f)

For wisdom is better than jewels,^(g) and nothing desirable can compare with it.^(h)

I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion.⁽ⁱ⁾

To fear the Lord is to hate evil.^(j) I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

I possess good advice and competence;^[b] I have understanding and strength.^(k)

It is by me that kings reign^(l) and rulers enact just law;

by me, princes lead, as do nobles and all righteous judges.^[c]

I love those who love me,^(m) and those who search for me find me.⁽ⁿ⁾

With me are riches and honor,^(o) lasting wealth and righteousness.^(p)

My fruit is better than solid gold, and my harvest than pure silver.^(q)

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

giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

"The Lord made^[d] me at the beginning of His creation,^[e] before His works of long ago.^(r)

I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began.^(s)

I was born when there were no watery depths^(t) and no springs filled with water.

I was delivered before the mountains and hills were established,^(u)

before He made the land, the fields, or the first soil on earth.

I was there when He established the heavens,^(v) when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,^(w)

when He placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,

when He set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate His command,^(x) when He laid out the foundations of the earth.^(y)

I was a skilled craftsman^[f] beside Him.^(z) I was His^[g] delight every day, always rejoicing before Him.

I was rejoicing in His inhabited world,^(aa) delighting in the human race.^(ab)

"And now, my sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.^(ac)

Listen to instruction and be wise;^(ad) don't ignore it.

Anyone who listens to me is happy,^(ae) watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.

For the one who finds me finds life^(af) and obtains favor from the Lord ,^(ag)

but the one who misses me^[h] harms himself;^(ah) all who hate me love death."^(ai)