3.1 KiB
The Blessings of Wisdom
Chapter 8
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Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?
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On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;
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beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
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"To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.
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O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.
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Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,
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for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
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All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
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They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
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Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,
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for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
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"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
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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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I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.
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By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
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by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
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I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
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Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
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My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
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I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,
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granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
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"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
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Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
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When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
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Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,
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before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
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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 firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
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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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then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,
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rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
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"And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.
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Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
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Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
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For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,
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but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death."