Proverbs 8

The Commendation of Wisdom

1 Does not 1wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?
2 On top of 2the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the 3gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 "O 4naive ones, understand prudence; And, O 5fools, understand wisdom.
6 "Listen, for I will speak 6noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal 7right things.
7 "For my 8mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 "All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing 9crooked or perverted in them.
9 "They are all 10straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who 11find knowledge.
10 "Take my 12instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.
11 "For wisdom is 13better than jewels; And 14all desirable things cannot compare with her.
12 "I, wisdom, 15dwell with prudence, And I find 16knowledge and discretion.
13 "The 17fear of the LORD is to hate evil; 18Pride and arrogance and 19the evil way And the 20perverted mouth, I hate.
14 "21Counsel is mine and 22sound wisdom; I am understanding, 23power is mine.
15 "By me 24kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
16 "By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.
17 "I 25love those who love me; And 26those who diligently seek me will find me.
18 "27Riches and honor are with me, Enduring 28wealth and righteousness.
19 "My fruit is 29better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than 30choicest silver.
20 "I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may 31fill their treasuries.
22 "The LORD possessed me 32at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.
23 "From everlasting I was 33established, From the beginning, 34from the earliest times of the earth.
24 "When there were no 35depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.
25 "36Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.
27 "When He 37established the heavens, I was there, When 38He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above *, When the springs of the deep became fixed,
29 When 39He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out 40the foundations of the earth;
30 Then 41I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always * before Him,
31 Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having 42my delight in the sons of men.
32 "Now therefore, O sons, 43listen to me, For 44blessed are they who keep my ways.
33 "45Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.
34 "46Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.
35 "For 47he who finds me finds life And 48obtains favor from the LORD.
36 "But he who sins against me 49injures himself; All those who 50hate me 51love death."

Cross References 51

  • 1. Proverbs 1:20, 21; Proverbs 8:1-3; Proverbs 9:3; 1 Corinthians 1:24
  • 2. Proverbs 9:3, 14
  • 3. Job 29:7
  • 4. Proverbs 1:4
  • 5. Proverbs 1:22, 32; Proverbs 3:35
  • 6. Proverbs 22:20
  • 7. Proverbs 23:16
  • 8. Psalms 37:30; John 8:14; Romans 15:8
  • 9. Deuteronomy 32:5; Proverbs 2:15; Philippians 2:15
  • 10. Proverbs 14:6
  • 11. Proverbs 3:13
  • 12. Proverbs 3:14, 15; Proverbs 8:19
  • 13. Job 28:15, 18; Psalms 19:10
  • 14. Proverbs 3:15
  • 15. Proverbs 8:5
  • 16. Proverbs 1:4
  • 17. Proverbs 3:7; Proverbs 16:6
  • 18. 1 Samuel 2:3; Proverbs 16:18; Isaiah 13:11
  • 19. Proverbs 15:9
  • 20. Proverbs 6:12
  • 21. Proverbs 1:25; Proverbs 19:20; Isaiah 28:29; Jeremiah 32:19
  • 22. Proverbs 2:7; Proverbs 3:21; Proverbs 18:1
  • 23. Ecclesiastes 7:19; Ecclesiastes 9:16
  • 24. 2 Chronicles 1:10; Proverbs 29:4; Daniel 2:21; Matthew 28:18; Romans 13:1
  • 25. 1 Samuel 2:30; Proverbs 4:6; John 14:21
  • 26. Proverbs 2:4, 5; John 7:37; James 1:5
  • 27. Proverbs 3:16
  • 28. Psalms 112:3; Matthew 6:33
  • 29. Job 28:15; Proverbs 3:14
  • 30. Proverbs 10:20
  • 31. Proverbs 24:4
  • 32. Job 28:26-28; Psalms 104:24; Proverbs 3:19
  • 33. John 1:1-3
  • 34. John 17:5
  • 35. Genesis 1:2; Exodus 15:5; Job 38:16; Proverbs 3:20
  • 36. Job 15:7; Psalms 90:2
  • 37. Proverbs 3:19
  • 38. Job 26:10
  • 39. Job 38:10; Psalms 104:9
  • 40. Job 38:6; Psalms 104:5
  • 41. John 1:2, 3
  • 42. Psalms 16:3; John 13:1
  • 43. Proverbs 5:7; Proverbs 7:24
  • 44. Psalms 119:1, 2; Psalms 128:1; Proverbs 29:18; Luke 11:28
  • 45. Proverbs 4:1
  • 46. Proverbs 3:13, 18
  • 47. Proverbs 4:22; John 17:3
  • 48. Proverbs 3:4; Proverbs 12:2
  • 49. Proverbs 1:31, 32; Proverbs 15:32
  • 50. Proverbs 5:12; Proverbs 12:1
  • 51. Proverbs 21:6

Footnotes 14

Proverbs 8 Commentaries

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