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¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies,

And all things desirable are not to be compared unto her.

¹²I wisdom dwell with prudence,

And find out knowledge of devices.

¹³The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;

Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,

And the froward mouth, do I hate.

¹⁴Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;

I am understanding, power is mine.

¹⁵By me kings reign,

And princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

¹⁷I love them that love me,

And those that seek me earnestly shall find me.

¹⁸Riches and honour are with me;

Yea, enduring riches and righteousness.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;

And my produce than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness,

In the midst of the paths of justice;

²¹That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,

And that I may fill their treasuries.

 

²²The Lord made me as the beginning of His way,

The first of His works of old.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,

Or ever the earth was.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth;

When there were no fountains abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled,

Before the hills was I brought forth;

²⁶While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields,

Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

²⁷When He established the heavens, I was there;

When He set a circle upon the face of the deep,

²⁸When He made firm the skies above,

When the fountains of the deep showed their might,

²⁹When He gave to the sea His decree,

That the waters should not transgress His commandment,

When He appointed the foundations of the earth;

³⁰Then I was by Him, as a nursling;

And I was daily all delight,

Playing always before Him,

³¹Playing in His habitable earth,

And my delights are with the sons of men.

 

³²Now therefore, ye children, hearken unto me;

For happy are they that keep my ways.

³³Hear instruction, and be wise,

And refuse it not.

³⁴Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me,

Watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

³⁵For whoso findeth me findeth life,

And obtaineth favour of the Lord.

³⁶But he that misseth me wrongeth his own soul;

All they that hate me love death.'

9 Wisdom hath builded her house,

She hath hewn out her seven pillars;

²She hath prepared her meat, she hath mingled her wine;

She hath also furnished her table.

³She hath sent forth her maidens, she calleth,

Upon the highest places of the city:

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