| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 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 highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; |
| 3beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: | 3beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: |
| 4“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. | 4"To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. |
| 5O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. | 5You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. |
| 6Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, | 6Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. |
| 7for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. | 7My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. |
| 8All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. | 8All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. |
| 9They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. | 9To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. |
| 10Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, | 10Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, |
| 11for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. | 11for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. |
| 12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. | 12"I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess 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. | 13To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. |
| 14I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. | 14Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power. |
| 15By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; | 15By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just; |
| 16by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. | 16by me princes govern, and nobles--all who rule on earth. |
| 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. | 18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. |
| 19My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. | 19My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. |
| 20I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, | 20I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, |
| 21granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries. | 21bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full. |
| 22“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. | 22"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; |
| 23Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. | 23I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. |
| 24When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. | 24When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, 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 settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, |
| 26before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. | 26before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. |
| 27When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, | 27I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on 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 and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, |
| 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 its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and 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 constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, |
| 31rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man. | 31rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. |
| 32“And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. | 32"Now then, my 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 and be wise; do not disregard it. |
| 34Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. | 34Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. |
| 35For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, | 35For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD. |
| 36but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” | 36But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death." |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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