Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?

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

2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

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

3Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

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

4"To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.

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

5"O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.

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

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

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

7"For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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

8"All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

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

9"They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.

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

10"Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

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

11"For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

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

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

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

13"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

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

14"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

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

15"By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.

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

16"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.

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

17"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.

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

18"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.

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

19"My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver.

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

20"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

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

21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

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

22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.

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

23"From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.

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

24"When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.

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

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

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

26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.

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

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

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

28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,

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 set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out 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 beside Him, as a master workman; 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 world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

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

32"Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways.

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

33"Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.

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

34"Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

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

35"For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD.

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

36"But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death."

The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org