Proverbs 8

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?	1 Is not Wisdom cal ing? Is not Understanding raising her voice?
2 At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,	2 On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossways, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:	3 by the gates, at the entrance to the city, on the access-roads, she cries out,
4 “O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.	4 'I am cal ing to you, al people, my words are addressed to al humanity.
5 O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.	5 Simpletons, learn how to behave, fools, come to your senses.
6 Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.	6 Listen, I have something important to tel you, when I speak, my words are right.
7 My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.	7 My mouth proclaims the truth, for evil is abhorrent to my lips.
8 All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.	8 Al the words from my mouth are upright, nothing false there, nothing crooked,
9 They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.	9 everything plain, if you can understand, straight, if you have acquired knowledge.
10 Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.	10 Accept my discipline rather than silver, and knowledge of me in preference to finest gold.
11 For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.	11 For Wisdom is more precious than jewels, and nothing else is so worthy of desire.
12 I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.	12 'I, Wisdom, share house with Discretion, I am mistress of the art of thought.
13 The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.	13 (Fear of Yahweh means hatred of evil.) I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behaviour and a lyingmouth.
14 Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.	14 To me belong good advice and prudence, I am perception: power is mine!
15 Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.	15 By me monarchs rule and princes decree what is right;
16 Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.	16 by me rulers govern, so do nobles, the lawful authorities.
17 I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.	17 I love those who love me; whoever searches eagerly for me finds me.
18 With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.	18 With me are riches and honour, lasting wealth and saving justice.
19 For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.	19 The fruit I give is better than gold, even the finest, the return I make is better than pure silver.
20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,	20 I walk in the way of uprightness in the path of justice,
21 so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.	21 to endow my friends with my wealth and to fil their treasuries.
22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.	22 'Yahweh created me, first-fruits of his fashioning, before the oldest of his works.
23 I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.	23 From everlasting, I was firmly set, from the beginning, before the earth came into being.
24 The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.	24 The deep was not, when I was born, nor were the springs with their abounding waters.
25 The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.	25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hil s, I came to birth;
26 Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.	26 before he had made the earth, the countryside, and the first elements of the world.
27 I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;	27 When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep,
28 when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;	28 when he thickened the clouds above, when the sources of the deep began to swel ,
29 when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth.	29 when he assigned the sea its boundaries -- and the waters will not encroach on the shore -- when hetraced the foundations of the earth,
30 I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,	30 I was beside the master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence,
31 playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.	31 at play everywhere on his earth, delighting to be with the children of men.
32 Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.	32 'And now, my children, listen to me. Happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.	33 Listen to instruction and become wise, do not reject it.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates everyday, and who observes at the posts of my doors.	34 Blessed, whoever listens to me, who day after day keeps watch at my gates to guard my portals.
35 He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.	35 For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains the favour of Yahweh;
36 But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”	36 but whoever misses me harms himself, al who hate me are in love with death.'