Proverbs of Solomon 8 — The Holy Bible

Divine Wisdom for Mankind

You shall proclaim wisdom

That discernment may obey you;

For she is on the lofty summit

And stands in the midst of the paths.

For she sits beside the gates of princes

And sings at the entrances,

“You, O men, I exhort,

And I utter my voice to the sons of men;

Understand astuteness, O simple ones,

And put it in your heart, O uninstructed ones.

Obey me, for I speak sacred things,

And from my lips I will bring forth things that are true.

For my mouth shall speak the truth,

But false lips are an abomination before me.

All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;

There is nothing in them crooked or twisted.

All things are evident to those who understand

And true to those who find knowledge.

Lay hold of instruction and not silver,

And knowledge rather than tested gold,

And choose perception rather than pure gold.

For wisdom is better than precious stones,

And every costly thing is not worthy of her.

I, wisdom, dwell with counsel,

And I call upon knowledge and understanding.

The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness,

And both rudeness and arrogance, and the ways of wicked men;

And I hate the perverted ways of evil men.

Counsel and safety are mine;

Discernment is mine, and strength is mine;

By me, kings reign,

And princes write of righteousness;

By me, noblemen become great,

And by me, monarchs have power in the land.

I love those who love me,

And those who seek me shall find me.

Riches and glory belong to me,

And abundant possessions, and righteousness;

It is better to enjoy my fruits than gold and precious stones,

And my fruits are better than choice silver.

I walk in the ways of righteousness,

And I am conversant with the paths of judgment;

That I may distribute substance to those who love me,

And may fill their treasuries with good things.

Divine Wisdom and the Father

“If I declare to you the things that happen daily,

I will also remember to recount the things of old.

The Lord created me in the beginning of His ways for His works;

He established me in the beginning before time,

Before He made the earth, and before He made the abysses,

Before the going forth of the fountains of waters,

Before the mountains were created;

And He begot me before all hills.

The Lord made the fields and the uninhabited places

And the inhabited heights under heaven.

When He prepared heaven, I was present with Him,

And when He set apart His throne upon the winds.

When He made strong the things above the clouds,

And made sure the fountains under heaven,

And made strong the foundations of the earth,

I was working beside Him;

I was He in whom He rejoiced;

Daily and continually I was gladdened by His face.

When He completed the world, He rejoiced,

And He rejoiced in the sons of men.

Now therefore, my son, hear me:

Blessed is the man who shall hearken to me

And the man who shall guard my ways;

Who watches daily at my doors,

Who keeps watch at the doors of my entryways;

For my issues are the issues of life,

And grace is prepared from the Lord.

But those who sin against me act ungodly toward their own souls,

And those who hate me love death.”