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New Testament
Proverbs 8
Wisdom's Invitation
81Do you hear Wisdom calling out?
Do you hear Understanding raising her voice?
2On the hills above the roads,
she takes her stand at the crossroads.
3Beside the gates leading into the city,
at the entrance to the doorways, she cries out:
4I call to you men,
and I raise my voice to the people.
You fools, take this to heart.
6Listen, because I am speaking noble thoughts.
I open my lips to speak upright things,
7for my mouth declares truth,
8All the words from my mouth are righteous.
There is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9All of them are clear to those who have understanding,
and they are upright to those who find knowledge.
10Accept my discipline instead of silver.
Accept knowledge rather than fine gold,
and anything you may desire cannot equal her.
Wisdom's Benefit
I discover knowledge and foresight.
13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.
I hate haughtiness, arrogance, an evil way, and a perverse mouth.
14Good advice and sound judgment are mine.
I, Understanding, have strength.
15By me kings reign,
and rulers administer justice.
16By me officials govern,
as well as nobles and all just judges.
17I certainly love those who love me,
and those who eagerly look for me find me.
18Riches and honor are with me,
as well as enduring wealth and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold, better than pure gold,
and what I produce is better than fine silver.
20I walk on the path of righteousness,
down the middle of the pathways of justice,
21so I can provide a rich inheritance to those who love me,
and I can fill their treasuries.
Wisdom Is the Craftsman of Creation
before his works of long ago.
23From eternity I was appointed,
from the beginning, from before the origin of the earth.
when there were no springs filled with water.
25Before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26when he had not yet made land or fields
or the first dust of the world.
27When he established the heavens, I was there.
When he drew the horizon around the surface of the deep,
28when he placed the clouds in the sky above,
when the fountains of the deep gushed out,
29when he established his decree for the sea,
so that the waters could not go beyond the limit set by his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30I was beside him as a master craftsman.
I was his joy day after day.
I rejoiced in his presence at all times.
31I rejoiced in his inhabited world.
Wisdom Is the Giver of Life
32So now, you children, listen to me,
because those who keep my ways are blessed.
33Listen to discipline and become wise.
Do not neglect it.
34How blessed is the person who listens to me,
so that he can watch at my doors day after day,
so that he can stand guard beside my front door,
35because whoever finds me finds life,
and he obtains favor from the Lord,
36but whoever sins against me harms himself.
All who hate me love death.