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)

Wisdom has built her house;^(a) she has carved out her seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat;^(b) she has mixed her wine;^(c) she has also set her table.^(d)

She has sent out her female servants;^(e) she calls out from the highest points of the city:^(f)

"Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!" To the one who lacks sense,^(g) she says,

"Come, eat my bread,^(h) and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave inexperience behind, and you will live; pursue the way of understanding.

The one who corrects a mocker will bring dishonor on himself; the one who rebukes a wicked man will get hurt.^[a]

Don't rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;⁽ⁱ⁾ rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.^(j)

Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will learn more.^(k)

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,^(l) and the knowledge of the Holy One^(m) is understanding.

For by Wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.

If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;⁽ⁿ⁾ if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences."

The woman Folly is rowdy;^(o) she is gullible and knows nothing.^(p)

She sits by the doorway of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city,

calling to those who pass by, who go straight ahead on their paths:^(q)

"Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!" To the one who lacks sense, she says,

"Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten secretly is tasty!"^(r)

But he doesn't know that the departed spirits are there,^(s) that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.^(t)