Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1Doesn't Wisdom call out? Doesn't Understanding make her voice heard?

1Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!

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

2On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads.

3Beside the gates at the entry to the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:"

3By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud,

4People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind.

4“I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people.

5Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

5You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.

6Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right.

6Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. Everything I say is right,

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

7for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception.

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

8My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it.

9All of them are clear to the perceptive, and right to those who discover knowledge.

9My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge.

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

10Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

11For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can compare with it.

11For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.

12I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion.

12“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.

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

13All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.

14I possess good advice and competence; I have understanding and strength.

14Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine.

15It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law;

15Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees.

16by me, princes lead, as do nobles and all righteous judges.

16Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.

17I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me.

17“I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.

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

18I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice.

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

19My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver!

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

20I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice.

21giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries."

21Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.

22The LORD made me at the beginning of His creation, before His works of long ago.

22“The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else.

23I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began.

23I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began.

24I was born when there were no watery depths and no springs filled with water.

24I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters.

25I was delivered before the mountains and hills were established,

25Before the mountains were formed, before the hills, I was born—

26before He made the land, the fields, or the first soil on earth.

26before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.

27I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,

27I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans.

28when He placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,

28I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.

29when He set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate His command, when He laid out the foundations of the earth.

29I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,

30I was a skilled craftsman beside Him. I was His delight every day, always rejoicing before Him.

30I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.

31I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, delighting in the human race."

31And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family!

32And now, my sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.

32“And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful.

33Listen to instruction and be wise; don't ignore it.

33Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.

34Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.

34Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!

35For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,

35For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.

36but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death."

36But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.