New Living Translation NLT
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!
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Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads.
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At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3 By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud,
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At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
4 “I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people.
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`Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] unto the sons of men.
5 You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.
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Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6 Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. Everything I say is right,
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Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception.
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For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
8 My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it.
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In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge.
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All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
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Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.
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For better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.
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I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
13 All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.
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The fear of Jehovah [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
14 Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine.
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Mine [is] counsel and substance, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees.
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By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.
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By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17 “I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.
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I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18 I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice.
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Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver!
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Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20 I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice.
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In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.
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To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
22 “The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else.
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Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began.
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From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters.
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In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 Before the mountains were formed, before the hills, I was born—
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Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.
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While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans.
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In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.
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In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29 I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,
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In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.
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Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight -- day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family!
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Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 “And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful.
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And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.
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Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
34 Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!
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O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD .
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For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
36 But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.”
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And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.