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Doth not Chochmah cry out? And Tevunah (understanding) put forth her voice?

In the top of high hills, beside the derech (road) in the bais netivot (meeting place of trodden paths, crossroads) nitzavah (she [Lady Wisdom, the lady street preacher] stands).

She crieth out at the she’arim (gates), at the entry of the city, at the entrance at the petachim (doorways):

Unto you, O ishim, I call out; and my voice is to the Bnei Adam.

O ye simple ones, understand armah (prudence); and, ye kesilim, understand in your lev.

Hear; for I will speak negidim (noble things, worthy [words]); and the opening of my sfatayim (lips) shall be meisharim (upright, fair things).

For my mouth shall speak emes; and resha is an abomination to my sfatayim (lips).

All the words of my peh (mouth) are in tzedek; there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

They are all correct to him that discerneth, and yesharim (straight ones) to them that find da’as (knowledge).

10 Receive my musar, and not kesef; and da’as (knowledge) rather than choice gold.

11 For chochmah is tovah (better, more precious) than pearls; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I, Chochmah, dwell with armah (prudence), and find out da’as (knowledge) of mezimot (discretions).

13 The Yirat Hashem is to hate rah; pride, and ga’on (arrogance), and the derech rah, and the perverse peh (mouth), do I hate.

14 Etzah (counsel, advice) is mine, and sound judgment; I am binah; I have gevurah.

15 By me melachim reign, and nobles decree tzedek.

16 By me sarim (princes) rule, and nobles, even all the shofetim of tzedek.

17 I love them that have ahavah for me; and those that seek me shall find me.

18 Osher and kavod are with me; indeed, enduring hon (wealth) and tzedakah.

19 My p’ri is better than gold, indeed, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice kesef.

20 I walk in the orach tzedakah (way of righteousness), in the midst of the netivot (paths) of mishpat,

21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their otzarot.

22 Hashem possessed me in the reshit of His derech, before His works of old.

23 I was set up [to reign] me’olam (from eternity), from the beginning, or ever eretz was.

24 When there were no tehomot, I was brought forth; when there were no springs abounding with mayim.

25 Before the harim were settled, before the geva’ot (hills) was I brought forth;

26 While as yet He had not made eretz, nor the outer places, nor the beginning of the dust of the tevel.

27 When He set in place Shomayim, I was there; when He drew a khoog (circle, horizon) upon the face of the tehom,

28 When He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the tehom,

29 When He gave to the yam His chok (decree, limits), that the mayim should not pass its limits, when He appointed the foundations of the Eretz;

30 Then I was etzel (at the side of, beside [see Yn 1:1]) Him, as an Amon (master craftsman, builder, architect, artist); and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him [Mishle 30:4] ;

31 Rejoicing in the tevel of His Eretz; and my delights were with the Bnei Adam.

32 Now therefore pay heed unto me, O ye banim; for ashrei (blessed, happy) are they that are shomer over my drakhim.

33 Hear musar, and be chacham, and disdain it not.

34 Ashrei is adam that heareth me, watching daily at my dalatot, waiting at the mezuzot of my doors.

35 For whosoever findeth me findeth Chayyim, and shall obtain ratzon Hashem.

36 But he that sinneth against me doth chamas against his own nefesh; all they that hate me love mavet.

Wisdom’s Call

Does not wisdom call out?(A)
    Does not understanding raise her voice?
At the highest point along the way,
    where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
beside the gate leading into the city,
    at the entrance, she cries aloud:(B)
“To you, O people, I call out;(C)
    I raise my voice to all mankind.
You who are simple,(D) gain prudence;(E)
    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
    I open my lips to speak what is right.
My mouth speaks what is true,(F)
    for my lips detest wickedness.
All the words of my mouth are just;
    none of them is crooked or perverse.
To the discerning all of them are right;
    they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
    knowledge rather than choice gold,(G)
11 for wisdom is more precious(H) than rubies,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.(I)

12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
    I possess knowledge and discretion.(J)
13 To fear the Lord(K) is to hate evil;(L)
    I hate(M) pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
    I have insight, I have power.(N)
15 By me kings reign
    and rulers(O) issue decrees that are just;
16 by me princes govern,(P)
    and nobles—all who rule on earth.[b]
17 I love those who love me,(Q)
    and those who seek me find me.(R)
18 With me are riches and honor,(S)
    enduring wealth and prosperity.(T)
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;(U)
    what I yield surpasses choice silver.(V)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,(W)
    along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
    and making their treasuries full.(X)

22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,[c][d]
    before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;(Y)
25 before the mountains were settled in place,(Z)
    before the hills, I was given birth,(AA)
26 before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.(AB)
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,(AC)
    when he marked out the horizon(AD) on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above(AE)
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,(AF)
29 when he gave the sea its boundary(AG)
    so the waters would not overstep his command,(AH)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.(AI)
30     Then I was constantly[e] at his side.(AJ)
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
    and delighting in mankind.(AK)

32 “Now then, my children, listen(AL) to me;
    blessed are(AM) those who keep my ways.(AN)
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen(AO) to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me(AP) find life(AQ)
    and receive favor from the Lord.(AR)
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;(AS)
    all who hate me love death.”(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
  2. Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
  3. Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
  4. Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
  5. Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child