Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 29
Proverbs 8
Wisdomās Invitation
1 Do you hear Wisdom calling out?
Do you hear Understanding raising her voice?
2Ā On the hills above the roads,
she takes her stand at the crossroads.
3Ā Beside the gates leading into the city,
at the entrance to the doorways, she cries out:
4Ā I call to you men,
and I raise my voice to the people.
5Ā You gullible people, get good judgment. [1]
You fools, take this to heart.
6Ā Listen, because I am speaking noble thoughts.
I open my lips to speak upright things,
7Ā for my mouth declares truth,
but wickedness is disgusting [2] to my lips.
8Ā All the words from my mouth are righteous.
There is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9Ā All of them are clear to those who have understanding,
and they are upright to those who find knowledge.
10Ā Accept my discipline instead of silver.
Accept knowledge rather than fine gold,
11Ā because Wisdom is better than gems, [3]
and anything you may desire cannot equal her.
Wisdomās Benefit
12Ā I, Wisdom, dwell with good judgment. [4]
I discover knowledge and foresight.
13Ā The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.
I hate haughtiness, arrogance, an evil way, and a perverse mouth.
14Ā Good advice and sound judgment are mine.
I, Understanding, have strength.
15Ā By me kings reign,
and rulers administer justice.
16Ā By me officials govern,
as well as nobles and all just judges.
17Ā I certainly love those who love me,
and those who eagerly look for me find me.
18Ā Riches and honor are with me,
as well as enduring wealth and righteousness.
19Ā My fruit is better than gold, better than pure gold,
and what I produce is better than fine silver.
20Ā I walk on the path of righteousness,
down the middle of the pathways of justice,
21Ā so I can provide a rich inheritance to those who love me,
and I can fill their treasuries.
Wisdom Is the Craftsman of Creation
22Ā The Lord possessed [5] me at the beginning of his way,
before his works of long ago.
23Ā From eternity I was appointed,
from the beginning, from before the origin of the earth.
24Ā When there were no deep waters, I was brought forth, [6]
when there were no springs filled with water.
25Ā Before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26Ā when he had not yet made land or fields
or the first dust of the world.
27Ā When he established the heavens, I was there.
When he drew the horizon around the surface of the deep,
28Ā when he placed the clouds in the sky above,
when the fountains of the deep gushed out,
29Ā when 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,
30Ā I was beside him as a master craftsman.
I was his joy day after day.
I rejoiced in his presence at all times.
31Ā I rejoiced in his inhabited world.
I was delighted with the children of Adam. [7]
Wisdom Is the Giver of Life
32Ā So now, you children, listen to me,
because those who keep my ways are blessed.
33Ā Listen to discipline and become wise.
Do not neglect it.
34Ā How 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,
35Ā because whoever finds me finds life,
and he obtains favor from the Lord,
36Ā but whoever sins against me harms himself.
All who hate me love death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:5 Or prudence
- Proverbs 8:7 Or repulsive or an abomination
- Proverbs 8:11 Perhaps rubies or red coral
- Proverbs 8:12 Or prudence
- Proverbs 8:22 Or created
- Proverbs 8:24 Or was born. Also in verse 25.
- Proverbs 8:31 Or human race
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage VersionĀ®, EHVĀ®, Ā© 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.