New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?
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Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?
2 On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;
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At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;
3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
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Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:
4 "To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.
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I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it.
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Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right;
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Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.
7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
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For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
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All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.
9 They are all straight to one who understands and right to those who find knowledge.
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They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold;
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Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.
11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
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For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.
12 I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I attain knowledge and discretion.
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I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
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The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.
14 I have good advice and sound wisdom; I have insight, I have strength.
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Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
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Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
16 by me rulers rule, and nobles, all who govern rightly.
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Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
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Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity.
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Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
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My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
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I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
21 endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
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So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.
22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.
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The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.
23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
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From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
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When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth—
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Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:
26 when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world's first bits of soil.
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When he had not made the earth or the fields or 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,
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When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:
28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
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When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:
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,
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When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:
30 then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,
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Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.
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Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
32 "And now, my children, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.
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Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
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Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.
34 Happy is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
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Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.
35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord;
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For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.
36 but those who miss me injure themselves; all who hate me love death."
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But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.