|
[1]Doth not wysdome crye? doth not vnderstanding put foorth her voyce
[2]She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the place of the pathes
[3]She cryeth at the gates of the citie, at the entrye of the doores
[4]It is you O ye men [saith she] whom I call, vnto the chyldren of men do I lyft vp my voyce
[5]Take heede vnto knowledge O ye ignoraunt, be ye wise in heart O ye fooles
[6]Geue eare, for I wyll speake of great matters, and open my lippes to tell thinges that be right
[7]For my mouth shall be talking of the trueth, and my lippes abhorre vngodlynesse
[8]All the wordes of my mouth are righteous, there is no frowardnes nor falsehood in them
[9]They are all playne to suche as wyll vnderstande, and right to them that finde knowledge
[10]Receaue my doctrine and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde
[11]For wysdome is more worth then pretious stones, yea all thinges that thou canst desire, may not be compared vnto it
[12]I wysdome dwell with counsell, and finde out knowledge and vnderstanding
[13]The feare of the Lorde abhorreth wickednes, pryde, disdayne, and the euil way, and a mouth that speaketh wicked thinges I vtterly abhorre
[14]Counsell is mine, and direction, I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength
[15]Through me kinges raigne, and princes make iust lawes
[16]By me princes beare rule, and noble men do iudge the earth
[17]I am louing vnto those that loue me: and they that seeke me early, shall finde me
[18]Riches and honour are with me, yea durable riches and righteousnes
[19]My fruite is better then golde and pretious stones, and mine encrease more worth then fine siluer
[20]I wyll guyde thee in the way of righteousnes, and in the midst of the pathes of iudgement
[21]That I maye stablishe the inhetaunce of them that loue me, and encrease their treasure
[22]The Lorde him selfe had me in possession in the beginning of his wayes, or euer he began his workes aforetime
[23]I haue ben ordayned from euerlasting, and from the beginning or euer the earth was made
[24]When I was borne there were neither depthes nor springes of water
[25]Before the foundations of the mountaines were layde: yea before all hilles, was I borne
[26]The earth, and all that is vpon the earth was not yet made, no not the dust it selfe
[27]For when he made the heauens, I was present, when he compassed the deapthes about
[28]When he hanged the cloudes aboue, when he fastened the springes of the deepe
[29]When he shut the sea within certaine boundes, that the waters should not go ouer their markes that he commaunded: when he layde the foundations of the earth
[30]I was with him ordring all thinges, deliting dayly and reioysyng alway before hym
[31]As for the rounde compasse of this worlde I make it ioyfull: for my delite is to be among the chyldren of men
[32]Therefore hearken vnto me: O ye chyldren, blessed are they that kepe my wayes
[33]O geue eare vnto nurture, be wyse, and refuse it not
[34]Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching dayly at my gates, and geuing attendaunce at the postes of my doores
[35]For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtaine fauour of the Lorde
[36]But whoso offendeth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and they that hate me, are the louers of death
|