Wisdom has existed from eternity, and those who listen to her voice will walk in paths of justice and faithfulness that lead to success and prosperity.

1. PROVEBS 8 I POETRY
By Glenn Pease
Wisdom's Call
1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding with her voice shout?
On the heights along the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand to have her say.
3 beside the gates leading into the city,
at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 To you, O men, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
Beside the gates leading into the city she cries with a shout;
“To you, O men, I call out, and to all of mankind I cry out.”
5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, gain understanding.
You who are simple must prudence gain,
And you who are foolish must understanding retain whatever the pain.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.

2. Listen, for I have worthy things to say,
And I open my lips to speak of what is the right way.
My mouth speaks what is true,
For my lips hate what wickedness does to you.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
All the words of my mouth are just;
ot one is crooked or perverse, so in them you can trust.
To the discerning all of them are right,
And to those with knowledge they are faultless in their sight.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Instead of silver, choose my instruction,
And rather than choice gold, choose knowledge as an introduction.
For wisdom is more precious than rubies galore,
And nothing you desire can compare with her now or evermore.
12 I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
“I, wisdom, with prudence together dwell;
I possess knowledge and discretion so well.
To fear the Lord is to all evil hate,
And that definitely includes pride, arrogance, evil behavior,
and perverse speech without debate.

3. 14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign
and rulers make laws that are just;
16 by me princes govern,
and all nobles who rule on earth.
Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have understanding and power divine.
By me kings reign,
And rulers make laws that are just, and not insane.
By me princes and nobles rule on the earth,
And by me they make decisions of justice and worth.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18 With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
I love those who love me,
And those who seek me find me, and me they see.
With me come honor and riches galore,
With enduring prosperity as never before.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing wealth on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
My fruit is better than gold that is most fine,
And I yield what surpasses choice silver when with gold you combine.
I walk in the way of righteousness, and on the paths of justice I stroll along,
Bestowing wealth on those who love me, and making rich all who to me belong.
22 The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,

4. before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began.
The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
I was created before the beginning; before any quirks,
For there was no world then, no sin, no evil, and no jerks.
I was appointed from eternity, and before the world began,
And so I am older than the universe, and much wiser than man.
24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
when there were no springs abounding with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
There were no oceans on earth
When I was given birth,
And there were no springs with water abounding,
And no mountains high with peaks astounding
26 before he made the earth or its fields
or any of the dust of the world.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
Before he made the earth or its fields,
Or any of the dust this dusty world yields,
I was there when he set the heavens in place,
And marked out the horizon on the ocean's deep face.
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

5. When he established the clouds above,
And fixed securely the fountains of the deep in love;
When he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not go beyond his command,
And when he marked out the foundations of the earth, which are amazingly grand.
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
Then, at that time before time, I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day as such beauty I spied.
I rejoiced always in his presence, and in all he had designed,
And delighting also in his creation of all mankind.
32 ow then, my sons, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it.
ow then, my sons, listen to me;
Keep all of my ways, and blessed you will be.
Listen to my instruction, I earnestly implore it,
For you will be wise if you do not ignore it.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD.
36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
all who hate me love death.
Blessed is the man who listens to me,

6. Waiting at my doors to be all he can be.
For whoever finds me finds life,
And from the Lord receives favor and not strife.
But whoever fails to find me brings to himself harm,
For he who hates wisdom loves death, and has bought the farm.