Chapter 8

  Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding give forth her voice?  

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  On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.  

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  Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud.  

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  Unto you, men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man:  

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  O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.  

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  Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.  

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  For my palate shall meditate truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.  

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

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  They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.  

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  Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold:  

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  for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.  

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  I wisdom dwell [with] prudence, and find the knowledge [which cometh] of reflection.  

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  The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.  

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  Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength.  

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  By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;  

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  by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.  

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  I love those that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me.  

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  Riches and honour are with me; durable wealth and righteousness.  

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  My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.  

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  I walk in the path of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:  

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  that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries.  

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  Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.  

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  I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.  

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  When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.  

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  Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth;  

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  while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.  

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  When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;  

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  when he established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong;  

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  when he imposed on the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth:  

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  then I was by him [his] nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;  

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  rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights [were] with the sons of men.  

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  And now, sons, hearken unto me, and blessed are they that keep my ways:  

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  hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.  

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  Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.  

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  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of Jehovah;  

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  but he that sinneth against me doeth violence to his own soul: all they that hate me love death.  

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