Proverbs 8

Great^{(i) 1} Doth not wysdome crye? doth not vnderstandynge put forth her voyce? ² Standeth she not in the hye places in the stretes and wayes? ³ doth she not crye before the whole cytie, and in the gates where men go out and in? ⁴ It is you, O ye men (sayeth she) whom I call: Unto (the chyldren of men) do I lyft vp my voyce. ⁵ Take hede vnto knowledge O ye ignoraunt be wyse in herte, O ye foles. ⁶ Geue eare, for I wyll speake of greate matters, and open my lyppes to tell thynges that be ryght. ⁷ For my throte shalbe talkynge of the trueth and my lyppes abhorre vngodlynesse. ⁸ All the wordes of my mouth are righteous, there is no frowarnedsse nor falshede therin. ⁹ They are all playne to soche as wyll vnderstande, and ryght to them that fynde knowledge. ¹⁰ Receaue my doctryne, and not syluer: and my knowledge, more then fyne golde. ¹¹ For wysdome is more worth then precious stones, yee all thynges that thou canst desyre, maye not be compared vnto it. ¹² I wysdome haue my dwellynge with knowledge, and prudent councell is myne awne. ¹³ The feare of the Lorde abhorreth wyckednesse, pryde dysdayne, and the euell waye: and a mouth that speaketh wycked thynges, I vtterly abhorre. ¹⁴ I can geue councell, and I conferre thinges: I haue vnderstanding, I haue strength. ¹⁵ Thorowe me, kynges reygne: thorowe me counselars make iust lawes. ¹⁶ Thorowe me, do prynces beare rule, and all iudges of the earth execute iudgement. ¹⁷ I am louynge vnto those that loue me: and they that seke me early shall fynde me. ¹⁸ Ryches and honoure are with me, ye excellent goodes and ryghteousnes. ¹⁹ My frute is better then golde and precious stone, and myne encrease more worth then fyne syluer. ²⁰ I wyll guyde the in the waye of ryghteousnes, and in the strete of iudgement. ²¹ That I maye sende prosperite to those that loue me, and to encrease their treasure. ²² The Lorde him selfe had me in possessyon in the begynnynge of his wayes, or euer he beganne his worckes a fore tyme. ²³ I haue bene ordened from euerlastynge, and from the begynnynge or euer the earth was made. ²⁴ When I was borne, there were nether depthes nor sprynges of water. ²⁵ Before the foundacyons of the mountaynes were layed, yee before all hylles was I borne. ²⁶ The earth and all that is vpon the earth was not yet made, no not the grounde it selfe. ²⁷ For when he made the heauens, I was present: when he sett vp the depthes in ordre, ²⁸ when he hanged the cloudes aboue: when he fastened the sprynges of the depe: ²⁹ When he shut the see within certayne bowndes, that the waters shulde not go ouer their marckes that he commaunded. When he layed the foundacyons of the earth ³⁰ I was with him, ordrynge all thynges: delytinge dayly, and reioysynge all waye before him. ³¹ As for the rounde compase of thys worlde, I make it ioyfull: for my delyte is to be amonge the chyldren of men. ³² Therfore herken vnto me, O ye chyldren, blessed are they that kepe my wayes. ³³ O geue eare vnto nurtoure, be wyse, and refuse it not. ³⁴ Blessed is the man that heareth me, watchynge dayly at my gates, and geuynge attendaunce at the postes of my dores. ³⁵ For who so fyndeth me, fyndeth lyfe, and shall obtayne fauour of the Lorde. ³⁶ But who so offendeth agaynst me, hurteth his awne soule. All they that hate me, are the louers of death.