CHAPTER 8
1 Whether wisdom crieth not oft; and prudence giveth her voice?
2 In most sovereign and high tops, above the way, in the midst of paths,
3 and it standeth beside the gates of the city, in those enclosings, and speaketh, and saith,
4 A! ye men, I cry oft to you; and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Little children, that is, little of wit, understand ye wisdom; and ye unwise men, perceiveth in heart.
6 Hear ye, for I shall speak of great things; and my lips shall be opened, to preach rightful [or even] things.
7 My throat shall bethink truth; and my lips shall curse a wicked man.
8 My words be just; no shrewd thing, neither wayward is in those.
9 They be rightful [or right] to them that understand; and they be even to them that find knowing.
10 Take ye my chastising [or my discipline], and not money; choose ye teaching, more than treasure.
11 For wisdom is better than all riches most precious; and all desirable thing may not be comparisoned thereto.
12 I, wisdom, dwell in counsel; and I am among learned thoughts.
13 The dread of the Lord hateth evil; I curse boast, and pride, and a shrewd way, and a double-tongued mouth.
14 Counsel is mine, and equity; prudence is mine, and strength.
15 Kings reign by me; and makers of laws deem just things by me.
16 Princes command by me; and mighty men deem rightfulness [or rightwiseness]by me.
17 I love them that love me; and they that wake early to me, shall find me.
18 With me be riches, and glory; sovereign riches, and rightfulness [or rightwiseness].
19 My fruit is better than gold, and precious stone; and my seeds [or my burgeonings]be better than chosen silver.
20 I go in the ways of rightfulness [or rightwiseness], in the midst of the paths of doom;
21 that I make rich them that love me, and that I fill their treasures or their treasuries.
22 The Lord wielded me in the beginning of his ways; before that he made anything, at the beginning.
23 From without beginning I was ordained; and from eld [or old] times, before that the earth was made.
24 [The] Depths of waters were not yet; and I was conceived then. The wells of waters had not broken out yet,
25 and hills stood not altogether yet by firm heaviness; before little hills I was born.
26 Yet he had not made [the] earth; and floods, and the earths of the world.
27 When he made ready heavens, I was present; when he compassed [or enclosed] the depths of waters by certain law and compass.
28 When he made steadfast the air above; and weighed the wells of waters.
29 When he compassed to the sea his mark; and setted [or put] law to waters, that they should not pass their coasts. When he weighed the foundaments of [the] earth;
30 I was making all things with him. And I delighted by all days, and played before him in all time,
31 and I played in the world; and my delights be to be with the sons of men.
32 Now, therefore, sons, hear ye me; blessed be they that keep my ways.
33 Hear ye teaching, and be ye wise men; and do not ye cast it away.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth at my gates all day; and keepeth [or waiteth] at the posts of my door[s].
35 He that findeth me, shall find life; and he shall draw health of the Lord.
36 But he that sinneth against me shall hurt his soul; all that hate me, love death.