Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?
1
Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madame Insight raising her voice?
2 On the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she stands.
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She's taken her stand at First and Main, at the busiest intersection.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entry doors, she cries aloud:
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Right in the city square where the traffic is thickest, she shouts,
4 "To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
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"You - I'm talking to all of you, everyone out here on the streets!
5 You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.
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Listen, you idiots - learn good sense! You blockheads - shape up!
6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
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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 For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
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My mouth chews and savors and relishes truth - I can't stand the taste of evil!
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
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You'll only hear true and right words from my mouth; not one syllable will be twisted or skewed.
9 They are all plain to him who understands, Right to those who find knowledge.
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You'll recognize this as true - you with open minds; truth-ready minds will see it at once.
10 Receive my instruction rather than silver; Knowledge rather than choice gold.
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Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.
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For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.
12 "I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.
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"I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity; Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
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The Fear-of-God means hating Evil, whose ways I hate with a passion - pride and arrogance and crooked talk.
14 Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
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Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics; I am both Insight and the Virtue to live it out.
15 By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
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With my help, leaders rule, and lawmakers legislate fairly;
16 By me princes rule; Nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the eretz.
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With my help, governors govern, along with all in legitimate authority.
17 I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
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I love those who love me; those who look for me find me.
18 With me are riches, honor, Enduring wealth, and prosperity.
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Wealth and Glory accompany me - also substantial Honor and a Good Name.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; My yield than choice silver.
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My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary; the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;
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You can find me on Righteous Road - that's where I walk - at the intersection of Justice Avenue,
21 That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
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Handing out life to those who love me, filling their arms with life - armloads of life!
22 "The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work, Before his deeds of old.
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"God sovereignly made me - the first, the basic - before he did anything else.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the eretz existed.
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I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.
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I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes.
25 Before the mountains were settled in place, Before the hills, I was brought forth;
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Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn;
26 While as yet he had not made the eretz, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
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Long before God stretched out Earth's Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather,
27 When he established the heavens, I was there; When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
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And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean,
28 When he established the clouds above, When the springs of the deep became strong,
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built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean,
29 When he gave to the sea its boundary, That the waters should not violate his mitzvah, When he marked out the foundations of the eretz;
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When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said, no trespassing, And then staked out Earth's foundations,
30 Then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, Always rejoicing before him,
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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 Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.
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Delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.
32 "Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
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"So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, Don't refuse it.
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Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life.
34 Blessed is the man who hears me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my door posts.
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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 For whoever finds me, finds life, And will obtain favor from the LORD.
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When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God's good pleasure.
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death."
36
But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul; when you reject me, you're flirting with death."
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.