^[1]  Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?

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^[2]  On the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she standeth;

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^[3]  Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:

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^[4]  Unto you, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of men.

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^[5]  O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.

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^[6]  Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

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^[7]  For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

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^[8]  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

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^[9]  They are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge.

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^[10]  Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold.

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^[11]  For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.

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^[12]  I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling, And find out knowledgeanddiscretion.

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^[13]  The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.

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^[14]  Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.

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^[15]  By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.

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^[16]  By me princes rule, And nobles, evenall the judges of the earth.

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^[17]  I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.

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^[18]  Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable wealth and righteousness.

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^[19]  My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver.

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^[20]  I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;

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^[21]  That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries.

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^[22]  Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.

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^[23]  I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was.

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^[24]  When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water.

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^[25]  Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth;

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^[26]  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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^[27]  When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,

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^[28]  When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,

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^[29]  When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth;

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^[30]  Then I was by him, asa master workman; And I was dailyhisdelight, Rejoicing always before him,

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^[31]  Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.

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^[32]  Now therefore, mysons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.

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^[33]  Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not.

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^[34]  Blessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.

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^[35]  For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.

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^[36]  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.

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