Proverbs 8-11

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

2On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.

3Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:

4“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.

5O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.

6Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.

7For my mouth will speak the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse.

9They are all plain to the discerning, and upright to those who find knowledge.

10Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

11For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.

12I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

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

14Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.

15By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;

16By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.

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

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

19My fruit is better than gold, pure gold, and my harvest surpasses choice silver.

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

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

22The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.

23From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.

24When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.

25Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,

26before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth.

27I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

28when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

29when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

30Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.

31I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.

32Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

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

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

35For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favor of the LORD.

36But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”

1Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars.

2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

3She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.

4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.

5“Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.

6Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”

7He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.

8Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

9Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.

12If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage; but if you scoff, you alone will bear the consequences.

13The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing.

14She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city,

15calling out to those who pass by, who make their paths straight.

16“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.

17“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”

18But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.

2Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

3The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the craving of the wicked.

4Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

5He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

7The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

8A wise heart will receive commandments, but foolish lips will come to ruin.

9He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

10He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin.

11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.

13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

14The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction.

15The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

16The labor of the righteous leads to life, but the gain of the wicked brings punishment.

17Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.

18The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth.

21The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment.

22The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.

23The fool delights in shameful conduct, but a man of understanding has wisdom.

24What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.

26Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slacker to those who send him.

27The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be cut short.

28The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectations of the wicked will perish.

29The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright, but destruction awaits those who do evil.

30The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not inhabit the land.

31The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

32The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

1Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.

2When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.

4Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.

7When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes, and the hope of his strength vanishes.

8The righteous man is delivered from trouble; in his place the wicked man goes in.

9With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

10When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

11By the blessing of the upright a city is built up, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

12Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.

13A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

14For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.

15He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.

16A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

18The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

19Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.

20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.

21Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.

24One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.

25A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

26The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.

27He who searches out good finds favor, but evil will come to him who seeks it.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.

29He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

31If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!