The Excellence of Wisdom

1Doth not wysdome crye? doth not vnderstanding put foorth her voyce?

2She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the place of the pathes:

3She cryeth at the gates of the citie, at the entrye of the doores:

4It is you O ye men saith she whom I call, vnto the chyldren of men do I lyft vp my voyce.

5Take heede vnto knowledge O ye ignoraunt, be ye wise in heart O ye fooles.

6Geue eare, for I wyll speake of great matters, and open my lippes to tell thinges that be right:

7For my mouth shall be talking of the trueth, and my lippes abhorre vngodlynesse.

8All the wordes of my mouth are righteous, there is no frowardnes nor falsehood in them.

9They are all playne to suche as wyll vnderstande, and right to them that finde knowledge.

10Receaue my doctrine and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde:

11For wysdome is more worth then pretious stones, yea all thinges that thou canst desire, may not be compared vnto it.

12I wysdome dwell with counsell, and finde out knowledge and vnderstanding.

13The feare of the Lorde abhorreth wickednes, pryde, disdayne, and the euil way, and a mouth that speaketh wicked thinges I vtterly abhorre.

14Counsell is mine, and direction, I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.

15Through me kinges raigne, and princes make iust lawes.

16By me princes beare rule, and noble men do iudge the earth.

17I am louing vnto those that loue me: and they that seeke me early, shall finde me.

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

19My fruite is better then golde and pretious stones, and mine encrease more worth then fine siluer.

20I wyll guyde thee in the way of righteousnes, and in the midst of the pathes of iudgement:

21That I maye stablishe the inhetaunce of them that loue me, and encrease their treasure.

22The Lorde him selfe had me in possession in the beginning of his wayes, or euer he began his workes aforetime.

23I haue ben ordayned from euerlasting, and from the beginning or euer the earth was made.

24When I was borne there were neither depthes nor springes of water.

25Before the foundations of the mountaines were layde: yea before all hilles, was I borne:

26The earth, and all that is vpon the earth was not yet made, no not the dust it selfe.

27For when he made the heauens, I was present, when he compassed the deapthes about:

28When he hanged the cloudes aboue, when he fastened the springes of the deepe:

29When he shut the sea within certaine boundes, that the waters should not go ouer their markes that he commaunded: when he layde the foundations of the earth,

30I was with him ordring all thinges, deliting dayly and reioysyng alway before hym.

31As for the rounde compasse of this worlde I make it ioyfull: for my delite is to be among the chyldren of men.

32Therefore hearken vnto me: O ye chyldren, blessed are they that kepe my wayes.

33O geue eare vnto nurture, be wyse, and refuse it not:

34(8:33) Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching dayly at my gates, and geuing attendaunce at the postes of my doores.

35(8:34) For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtaine fauour of the Lorde.

36(8:35) But whoso offendeth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and they that hate me, are the louers of death.