Wisdom calls to us

1It is as if wisdom, with great understanding of many things, is calling [PRS] out to people.

2Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.

3Wisdom also stands at the city gates and shouts loudly,

4“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!

5You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!

6Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.

7I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.

8Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives people.

9My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.

10If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give or offers you silver, choose my teaching. If he offers to show you how to be wise or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,

11because wisdom is more valuable than jewels.
Nothing that you desire is as valuable as being wise.

12I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.

13All the people who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate people who are proud and people who think they are more important than others.
I hate people who behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive others.

14I give people good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.

15When kings are wise, they rule well; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.

16Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.

17I, wisdom, love all those who love me, and all those who truly seek me will find me.

18I enable people to become rich and to be honored; I enable them to have wealth that will last and to be successful.

19What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.

20I always do what is righteous and just/fair.

21I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.

22Yahweh created me, wisdom, when he began to create the world; he created me to do my work before he created anything else.

23He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.

24I was born before the oceans were created, when there were no springs from which water flowed.

25I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;

26I, wisdom, was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.

27I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place in the distance where the sky and the oceans seem to come together.

28I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above the earth and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.

29I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support the earth.

30I was at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.

31I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.

32So, you people who are like my sons, listen to me. I am pleased with all those who obey my teachings.

33Listen carefully to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!

34I am pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting for me to come out.

35Those who find me will have a long life, and Yahweh will be pleased with them.

36But those who stray away from me just harm themselves. All those who hate me, it is as though [IRO] they are loving death.”