1Doth not Chochmah cry out?
And Tevunah (understanding) put forth her voice?

2In the top of high hills, beside the derech (road),
in the bais netivot (meeting place of trodden paths, crossroads) nitzavah (she ¹³stands).

3She crieth out at the she'arim (gates), at the entry of the city,
at the entrance at the petachim (doorways):

4Unto you, O ishim, I call out;
and my voice is to the Bnei Adam.

5O ye simple ones, understand armah (prudence);
and, ye kesilim, understand in your lev.

6Hear; for I will speak negidim (noble things, worthy [words]);
and the opening of my sfatayim (lips) shall be meisharim (upright, fair things).

7For my mouth shall speak emes;
and resha is an abomination to my sfatayim (lips).

8All the words of my peh (mouth) are in tzedek;
there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

9They are all correct to him that discerneth,
and yesharim (straight ones) to them that find da'as (knowledge).

10Receive my musar, and not kesef;
and da'as (knowledge) rather than choice gold.

11For chochmah is tovah (better, more precious) than pearls;
and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12I, Chochmah, dwell with armah (prudence),
and find out da'as (knowledge) of mezimot (discretions).

13The Yirat Hashem is to hate rah;
pride, and ga'on (arrogance), and the derech rah,
and the perverse peh (mouth), do I hate.

14Etzah (counsel, advice) is mine, and sound judgment;
I am binah; I have gevurah.

15By me melachim reign,
and nobles decree tzedek.

16By me sarim (princes) rule, and nobles,
even all the shofetim of tzedek.

17I love them that have ahavah for me;
and those that seek me shall find me.

18Osher and kavod are with me;
indeed, enduring hon (wealth) and tzedakah.

19My p'ri is better than gold, indeed, than fine gold;
and my revenue than choice kesef.

20I walk in the orach tzedakah (way of righteousness),
in the midst of the netivot (paths) of mishpat,

21That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;
and I will fill their otzarot.

22Hashem possessed ¹⁴me in the reshit of His derech,
before His works of old.

23I was set up [to reign] me'olam (from eternity),
from the beginning, or ever eretz was.

24When there were no tehomot,
I was brought forth;
when there were no springs abounding with mayim.

25Before the harim were settled,
before the geva'ot (hills) was I brought forth;

26While as yet He had not made eretz, nor the outer places,
nor the beginning of the dust of the tevel.

27When He set in place Shomayim, I was there;
when He drew a khoog (circle, horizon) upon the face of the tehom,

28When He established the clouds above,
when He strengthened the fountains of the tehom,

29When He gave to the yam His chok (decree, limits),
that the mayim should not pass its limits,
when He appointed the foundations of the Eretz;

30Then I was etzel (at the side of, beside) ¹⁵Him,
as an Amon (master craftsman, builder, architect, artist);
and I was daily His delight,
rejoicing always before Him; ¹⁶

31Rejoicing in the tevel of His Eretz;
and my delights were with the Bnei Adam.

32Now therefore pay heed unto me, O ye banim;
for ashrei (blessed, happy) are they that are shomer over my drakhim.

33Hear musar, and be chacham,
and disdain it not.

34Ashrei is adam that heareth me,
watching daily at my dalatot,
waiting at the mezuzot of my doors.

35For whosoever findeth me findeth Chayyim,
and shall obtain ratzon Hashem.

36But he that sinneth against me doth chamas against his own nefesh;
all they that hate me love mavet.