8 ¹ Does not wisdom call,
does not understanding raise her voice?
8 ² On the heights beside the way,
in the paths 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 sons of men.
8 ⁵ O simple ones, learn prudence;
O foolish men, pay attention.
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 in prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
8 ¹³ The fear of Yahweh 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 govern the earth.
8 ¹⁷ I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
8 ¹⁸ Riches and honour are with me,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
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 endowing with wealth those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.

8 ²² Yahweh created 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 sons of men.

8 ³² And now, my sons, listen to me:
happy are those who keep my ways.
8 ³³ Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
8 ³⁴ Happy is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
8 ³⁵ For he who finds me finds life
and obtains favour from Yahweh;
8 ³⁶ but he who misses me injures himself;
all who hate me love death."