[8:1] Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?
[8:2] On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;
[8:3] beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
[8:4] “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.
[8:5] O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.
[8:6] Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,
[8:7] for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
[8:8] All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
[8:9] They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
[8:10] Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,
[8:11] for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
[8:12] “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
[8:13] The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
[8:14] I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.
[8:15] By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
[8:16] by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
[8:17] I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
[8:18] Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
[8:19] My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
[8:20] I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,
[8:21] granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
[8:22] “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
[8:23] Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
[8:24] When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
[8:25] Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,
[8:26] before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
[8:27] When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
[8:28] when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
[8:29] 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,
[8:30] then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,
[8:31] rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
[8:32] “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.
[8:33] Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
[8:34] Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
[8:35] For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord,
[8:36] but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”