¹ Does not wisdom call out?
       Does not understanding raise her voice?

    ² On the heights along the way,
       where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

    ³ beside the gates leading into the city,
       at the entrances, she cries aloud:

    ⁴ "To you, O men, I call out;
                 I raise my voice to all mankind.

    ⁵ You who are simple, gain prudence;
       you who are foolish, gain understanding.

    ⁶ Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
       I open my lips to speak what is right.

    ⁷ My mouth speaks what is true,
       for my lips detest wickedness.

    ⁸ All the words of my mouth are just;
       none of them is crooked or perverse.

    ⁹ To the discerning all of them are right;
       they are faultless to those who have knowledge.

    ¹⁰ Choose my instruction instead of silver,
       knowledge rather than choice gold,

    ¹¹ for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
       and nothing you desire can compare with her.

    ¹² "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
                          I possess knowledge and discretion.

    ¹³ To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance,
                                               evil behavior and perverse speech.

    ¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
       I have understanding and power.

    ¹⁵ By me kings reign
       and rulers make laws that are just;

    ¹⁶ by me princes govern,
       and all nobles who rule on earth.¹

    ¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

    ¹⁸ With me are riches and honor,
       enduring wealth and prosperity.

    ¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold;
       what I yield surpasses choice silver.

    ²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,
       along the paths of justice,

    ²¹ bestowing wealth on those who love me
       and making their treasuries full.

    ²² "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, ^{2, 3}
       before his deeds of old;

    ²³ I was appointed⁴ from eternity,
       from the beginning, before the world began.

    ²⁴ When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
       when there were no springs abounding with water;

    ²⁵ before the mountains were settled in place,
       before the hills, I was given birth,

    ²⁶ before he made the earth or its fields
       or any of the dust of the world.

    ²⁷ I was there when he set the heavens in place,
       when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

    ²⁸ when he established the clouds above
       and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

    ²⁹ when he gave the sea its boundary
       so the waters would not overstep his command,
       and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

    ³⁰ Then I was the craftsman at his side.
       I was filled with delight day after day,
       rejoicing always in his presence,

    ³¹ rejoicing in his whole world
       and delighting in mankind.

    ³² "Now then, my sons, listen to me;
                 blessed are those who keep my ways.

    ³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.

    ³⁴ Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors,
                                                                     waiting at my doorway.

    ³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
       and receives favor from the LORD.

    ³⁶ But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
       all who hate me love death."

Footnotes:

1  verse 16   Many Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts and nobles-all righteous rulers
2  verse 22  Or way ; or dominion  
3  verse 22  Or The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work ; or The LORD brought me forth at the beginning of his work
4  verse 23  Or fashioned