¹ Doth not wisdom cry?
And understanding put forth her voice?
² She standeth in the top of high places, by the way
In the places of the paths.
³ She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors.
⁴ Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of man.
⁵ O ye simple, understand wisdom:
And, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
⁶ Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;
And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
⁷ For my mouth shall speak truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
⁸ All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing froward or perverse in them.
⁹ They are all plain to him that understandeth,
And right to them that find knowledge.
¹⁰ Receive my instruction, and not silver;
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
¹¹ For wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
¹² I wisdom dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge of witty inventions.
¹³ The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the froward mouth, do I hate.
¹⁴ Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom:
I am understanding; I have strength.
¹⁵ By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
¹⁶ By me princes rule,
And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
¹⁷ I love them that love me;
And those that seek me early shall find me.
¹⁸ Riches and honour are with me;
Yea, durable riches and righteousness.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
And my revenue than choice silver.
²⁰ I lead in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of judgment:
²¹ That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;
And I will fill their treasures.

²² The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way,
Before his works of old.
²³ I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
Or ever the earth was.
²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth;
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth:
²⁶ 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 prepared the heavens, I was there:
When he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
²⁸ When he established the clouds above:
When he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
²⁹ 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 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him:
And I was daily his delight,
Rejoicing always before him;
³¹ Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
And my delights were with the sons of men.

³² Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children:
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
³³ Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
³⁴ Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
³⁵ For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall obtain favour of the LORD.
³⁶ But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.