Parallel Bible results for "proverbs 8"

Proverbs 8

English Standard Version ESV

1 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?

2 On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;

3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

4 "To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.

5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.

6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,

7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

9 They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

13 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 counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;

16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.

17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,

21 granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,

26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.

27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,

29 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 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily hisdelight, rejoicing before him always,

31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.

32 "And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,

36 but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death."

The Message Bible MSG

1 Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madame Insight raising her voice?

2 She's taken her stand at First and Main, at the busiest intersection.

3 Right in the city square where the traffic is thickest, she shouts,

4 "You - I'm talking to all of you, everyone out here on the streets!

5 Listen, you idiots - learn good sense! You blockheads - shape up!

6 Don't miss a word of this - I'm telling you how to live well, I'm telling you how to live at your best.

7 My mouth chews and savors and relishes truth - I can't stand the taste of evil!

8 You'll only hear true and right words from my mouth; not one syllable will be twisted or skewed.

9 You'll recognize this as true - you with open minds; truth-ready minds will see it at once.

10 Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career.

11 For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.

12 "I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity; Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.

13 The Fear-of-God means hating Evil, whose ways I hate with a passion - pride and arrogance and crooked talk.

14 Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics; I am both Insight and the Virtue to live it out.

15 With my help, leaders rule, and lawmakers legislate fairly;

16 With my help, governors govern, along with all in legitimate authority.

17 I love those who love me; those who look for me find me.

18 Wealth and Glory accompany me - also substantial Honor and a Good Name.

19 My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary; the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.

20 You can find me on Righteous Road - that's where I walk - at the intersection of Justice Avenue,

21 Handing out life to those who love me, filling their arms with life - armloads of life!

22 "God sovereignly made me - the first, the basic - before he did anything else.

23 I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start.

24 I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes.

25 Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn;

26 Long before God stretched out Earth's Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather,

27 And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean,

28 built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean,

29 When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said, no trespassing, And then staked out Earth's foundations,

30 I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause, always enjoying his company,

31 Delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.

32 "So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.

33 Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life.

34 Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day's work.

35 When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God's good pleasure.

36 But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul; when you reject me, you're flirting with death."