The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
King James Version KJV
1 Wisdom is calling! Understanding is raising her voice!
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Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 On the heights along the road, where the paths meet, she is standing;
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She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 by the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:
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She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 "People, I am calling you, raising my voice to all mankind.
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Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 You who don't direct your lives, understand caution; as for you, you fools, get some common sense!
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O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 "Listen! I will say worthwhile things; when I speak, my words are right.
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Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 My mouth says what is true, because my lips detest evil.
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For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words from my mouth are righteous; nothing false or crooked is in them.
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All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 They are all clear to those who understand and straightforward to those who gain knowledge.
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They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, rather than silver; knowledge, rather than the finest gold.
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Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than pearls; nothing you want can compare with her.
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For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 "I, wisdom, live together with caution; I attain knowledge and discretion.
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I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of ADONAI is hatred of evil. I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and duplicitous speech.
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The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Good advice is mine, and common sense; I am insight, power is mine.
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Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes make just laws.
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By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes govern, nobles too, and all the earth's rulers.
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By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love those who love me; and those who seek me will find me.
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I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me, lasting wealth and righteousness.
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Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, fine gold, my produce better than the finest silver.
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My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I follow the course of righteousness along the paths of justice,
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I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 to endow with wealth those who love me and fill their treasuries.
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That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22 "ADONAI made me as the beginning of his way, the first of his ancient works.
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The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was appointed before the world, before the start, before the earth's beginnings.
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I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When I was brought forth, there were no ocean depths, no springs brimming with water.
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When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 I was brought forth before the hills, before the mountains had settled in place;
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Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 he had not yet made the earth, the fields, or even the earth's first grains of dust.
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While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there. When he drew the horizon's circle on the deep,
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When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 when he set the skies above in place, when the fountains of the deep poured forth,
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When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 when he prescribed boundaries for the sea, so that its water would not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
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When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 I was with him as someone he could trust. For me, every day was pure delight, as I played in his presence all the time,.
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Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 playing everywhere on his earth, and delighting to be with humankind.
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Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 "Therefore, children, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.
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Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and grow wise; do not refuse it.
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Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 How happy the person who listens to me, who watches daily at my gates and waits outside my doors.
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Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For he who finds me finds life and obtains the favor of ADONAI.
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For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36 But he who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death."
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But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The King James Version is in the public domain.