| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? | 1Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? |
| 2On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; | 2At the top of the elevated places along the way, at the intersection of the paths she takes her stand; |
| 3beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: | 3beside the gates opening into the city, at the entrance of the doorways she cries out: |
| 4“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. | 4"To you, O people, I call out, and my voice calls to all mankind. |
| 5O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. | 5You who are naive, discern wisdom! And you fools, understand discernment! |
| 6Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, | 6Listen, for I will speak excellent things, and my lips will utter what is right. |
| 7for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. | 7For my mouth speaks truth, and my lips hate wickedness. |
| 8All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. | 8All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them twisted or crooked. |
| 9They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. | 9All of them are clear to the discerning and upright to those who find knowledge. |
| 10Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, | 10Receive my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. |
| 11for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. | 11For wisdom is better than rubies, and desirable things cannot be compared to her. |
| 12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. | 12"I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. |
| 13The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. | 13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride and the evil way and perverse utterances. |
| 14I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. | 14Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me; I possess understanding and might. |
| 15By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; | 15Kings reign by means of me, and potentates decree righteousness; |
| 16by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. | 16by me princes rule, as well as nobles and all righteous judges. |
| 17I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. | 17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. |
| 18Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. | 18Riches and honor are with me, long-lasting wealth and righteousness. |
| 19My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. | 19My fruit is better than the purest gold, and what I produce is better than choice silver. |
| 20I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, | 20I walk in the path of righteousness, in the pathway of justice, |
| 21granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries. | 21that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, and that I may fill their treasuries. |
| 22“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. | 22The LORD created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago. |
| 23Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. | 23From eternity I was appointed, from the beginning, from before the world existed. |
| 24When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. | 24When there were no deep oceans I was born, when there were no springs overflowing with water; |
| 25Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, | 25before the mountains were set in place--before the hills--I was born, |
| 26before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. | 26before he made the earth and its fields, or the beginning of the dust of the world. |
| 27When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, | 27When he established the heavens, I was there; when he marked out the horizon over the face of the deep, |
| 28when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, | 28when he established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep grew strong, |
| 29when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, | 29when he gave the sea his decree that the waters should not pass over his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, |
| 30then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, | 30then I was beside him as a master craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, rejoicing before him at all times, |
| 31rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man. | 31rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and delighting in its people. |
| 32“And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. | 32"So now, children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. |
| 33Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. | 33Listen to my instruction so that you may be wise, and do not neglect it. |
| 34Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. | 34Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway. |
| 35For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, | 35For the one who finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. |
| 36but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” | 36But the one who does not find me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death." |
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