| New King James Version (NKJV) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?
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1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
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2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet.
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2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
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3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors:
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3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:
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4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.
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4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
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5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
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5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.
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6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
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6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
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7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
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7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
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8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
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8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
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9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
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9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
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10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold;
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10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
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11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
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11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
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12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion.
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12 "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.
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13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
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13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
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14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.
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14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.
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15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
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15 By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just;
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16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth.
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16 by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth.
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17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.
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17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
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18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness.
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18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
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19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver.
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19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.
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20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
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20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
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21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
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21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
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22 "The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.
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22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old;
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23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
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23 I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began.
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24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water.
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24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water;
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25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth;
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25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth,
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26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primeval dust of the world.
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26 before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world.
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27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
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27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
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28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
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28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
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29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth,
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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.
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30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
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30 Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,
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31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.
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31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.
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32 "Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
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32 "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
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33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it.
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33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
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34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.
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34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
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35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord;
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35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.
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36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death."
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36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."
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| Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New King James Version) |
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) |
