^{1 Ref} Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?

^{2 Ref} At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,

^{3 Ref} At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,

^{4 Ref} `Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice `is' unto the sons of men.

^{5 Ref} Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,

^{6 Ref} Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips `is' uprightness.

^{7 Ref} For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips `is' wickedness.

^{8 Ref} In righteousness `are' all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.

^{9 Ref} All of them `are' plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.

^{10 Ref} Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.

^{11 Ref} For better `is' wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.

^{12 Ref} I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.

^{13 Ref} The fear of Jehovah `is' to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.

^{14 Ref} Mine `is' counsel and substance, I `am' understanding, I have might.

^{15 Ref} By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,

¹⁶ By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.

^{17 Ref} I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.

^{18 Ref} Wealth and honour `are' with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.

^{19 Ref} Better `is' my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.

^{20 Ref} In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,

^{21 Ref} To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.

^{22 Ref} Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.

^{23 Ref} From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.

^{24 Ref} In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy `with' waters,

^{25 Ref} Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.

^{26 Ref} While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.

^{27 Ref} In His preparing the heavens I `am' there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸ In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,

^{29 Ref} In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,

^{30 Ref} Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,

^{31 Ref} Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights `are' with the sons of men.

^{32 Ref} And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.

^{33 Ref} Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.

^{34 Ref} O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.

^{35 Ref} For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

^{36 Ref} And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!