Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Doesn't Wisdom cry out and Understanding shout?
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Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 Atop the heights along the path, at the crossroads she takes her stand.
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On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 By the gate before the city, at the entrances she shouts:
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beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 I cry out to you, people; my voice goes out to all of humanity.
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“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.
5 Understand skill, you who are naive. Take this to heart, you fools.
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O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.
6 Listen, for I speak things that are correct; from my lips comes what is right.
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Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,
7 My mouth utters the truth; my lips despise wickedness.
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for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; nothing in them is twisted or crooked.
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All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 All of them are straightforward to those who understand, and upright for the knowledgeable.
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They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.
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Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 Wisdom is better than pearls; nothing is more delightful than she.
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for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence; I have found knowledge and discretion.
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“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride and arrogance, the path of evil and corrupt speech.
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The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have advice and ability, as well as understanding and strength.
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I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.
15 By me kings rule, and princes issue righteous decrees.
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By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
16 By me rulers govern, and officials judge righteously.
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by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
17 I love those who love me; those who seek me will find me.
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I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me, as well as enduring wealth and righteousness.
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Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold; my crops are better than choice silver.
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My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk on the way of righteousness, on the paths of justice,
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I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,
21 to provide for those who love me and to fill up their treasuries.
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granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
22 The LORD created me at the beginning of his way, before his deeds long in the past.
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“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
23 I was formed in ancient times, at the beginning, before the earth was.
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Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs flowing with water.
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When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth;
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Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before God made the earth and the fields or the first of the dry land.
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before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
27 I was there when he established the heavens, when he marked out the horizon on the deep sea,
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When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he thickened the clouds above, when he secured the fountains of the deep,
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when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he set a limit for the sea, so the water couldn't go beyond his command, when he marked out the earth's foundations.
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when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 I was beside him as a master of crafts. I was having fun, smiling before him all the time,
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then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,
31 frolicking with his inhabited earth and delighting in the human race.
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rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
32 Now children, listen to me: Happy are those who keep to my ways!
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“And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to instruction, and be wise; don't avoid it.
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Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
34 Happy are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorposts.
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Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
35 Those who find me find life; they gain favor from the LORD.
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For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord,
36 Those who offend me injure themselves; all those who hate me love death.
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but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death. ”