| New American Standard (NAS) | New International Version (NIV) |
| 1 Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice ? | 1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? |
| 2 On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand ; | 2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; |
| 3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out: | 3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud: |
| 4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. | 4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. |
| 5 "O naive ones, understand prudence ; And, O fools, understand wisdom. | 5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding. |
| 6 "Listen, for I will speak noble things ; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things. | 6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. |
| 7 "For my mouth will utter truth ; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. | 7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. |
| 8 "All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness ; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them. | 8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. |
| 9 "They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. | 9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge. |
| 10 "Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold. | 10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, |
| 11 "For wisdom is better than jewels ; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. | 11 for 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. |
| 13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil ; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate. | 13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. |
| 14 "Counsel is mine and sound wisdom ; I am understanding, power is mine. | 14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power. |
| 15 "By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. | 15 By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; |
| 16 "By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly. | 16 by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. |
| 17 "I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. | 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. |
| 18 "Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness. | 18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. |
| 19 "My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver. | 19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. |
| 20 "I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, | 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, |
| 21 To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. | 21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full. |
| 22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. | 22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; |
| 23 "From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. | 23 I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. |
| 24 "When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water. | 24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; |
| 25 "Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth ; | 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, |
| 26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world. | 26 before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world. |
| 27 "When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep, | 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, |
| 28 When He made firm the skies above , When the springs of the deep became fixed, | 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, |
| 29 When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth ; | 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. |
| 30 Then I was beside Him, as a master workman ; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, | 30 Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, |
| 31 Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men. | 31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. |
| 32 "Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways. | 32 "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. |
| 33 "Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it. | 33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. |
| 34 "Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts. | 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. |
| 35 "For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD. | 35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. |
| 36 "But he who sins against me injures himself ; All those who hate me love death." | 36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death." |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved. (New American Standard Version - Holy Bible) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |