Chapter 8

  Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?  

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  At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;  

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  Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:  

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  I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.  

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  Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.  

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  Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.  

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  For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.  

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  All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.  

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  They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.  

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  Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.  

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  For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.  

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  I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.  

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  The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.  

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  Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.  

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  Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.  

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  Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.  

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  Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.  

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  Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.  

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  My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.  

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  I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:  

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  So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.  

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  The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.  

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  From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.  

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  When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.  

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  Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:  

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  When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world.  

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  When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:  

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  When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:  

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  When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:  

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  Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;  

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  Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.  

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  Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.  

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  Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.  

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  Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.  

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  For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.  

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  But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.  

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