1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. 11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. 17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. 18 Riches and honour are with me; yea , durable riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. 20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
1 Σὺ τὴν σοφίαν κηρύξεις, ἵνα φρόνησίς σοι ὑπακούσῃ·
2 ἐπὶ γὰρ τῶν ὑψηλῶν ἄκρων ἐστίν,
ἀνὰ μέσον δὲ τῶν τρίβων ἕστηκεν·
3 παρὰ γὰρ πύλαις δυναστῶν παρεδρεύει,
ἐν δὲ εἰσόδοις ὑμνεῖται
4 Ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, παρακαλῶ
καὶ προΐεμαι ἐμὴν φωνὴν υἱοῖς ἀνθρώπων·
5 νοήσατε, ἄκακοι, πανουργίαν,
οἱ δὲ ἀπαίδευτοι, ἔνθεσθε καρδίαν.
6 εἰσακούσατέ μου, σεμνὰ γὰρ ἐρῶ
καὶ ἀνοίσω ἀπὸ χειλέων ὀρθά·
7 ὅτι ἀλήθειαν μελετήσει ὁ φάρυγξ μου,
ἐβδελυγμένα δὲ ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ χείλη ψευδῆ.
8 μετὰ δικαιοσύνης πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματός μου,
οὐδὲν ἐν αὐτοῖς σκολιὸν οὐδὲ στραγγαλῶδες·
9 πάντα ἐνώπια τοῖς συνιοῦσιν
καὶ ὀρθὰ τοῖς εὑρίσκουσι γνῶσιν.
10 λάβετε παιδείαν καὶ μὴ ἀργύριον
καὶ γνῶσιν ὑπὲρ χρυσίον δεδοκιμασμένον,
ἀνθαιρεῖσθε δὲ αἴσθησιν χρυσίου καθαροῦ·
11 κρείσσων γὰρ σοφία λίθων πολυτελῶν,
πᾶν δὲ τίμιον οὐκ ἄξιον αὐτῆς ἐστιν.
12 ἐγὼ ἡ σοφία κατεσκήνωσα βουλήν,
καὶ γνῶσιν καὶ ἔννοιαν ἐγὼ ἐπεκαλεσάμην.
13 φόβος κυρίου μισεῖ ἀδικίαν,
ὕβριν τε καὶ ὑπερηφανίαν καὶ ὁδοὺς πονηρῶν·
μεμίσηκα δὲ ἐγὼ διεστραμμένας ὁδοὺς κακῶν.
14 ἐμὴ βουλὴ καὶ ἀσφάλεια,
ἐμὴ φρόνησις, ἐμὴ δὲ ἰσχύς·
15 δι᾽ ἐμοῦ βασιλεῖς βασιλεύουσιν,
καὶ οἱ δυνάσται γράφουσιν δικαιοσύνην·
16 δι᾽ ἐμοῦ μεγιστᾶνες μεγαλύνονται,
καὶ τύραννοι δι᾽ ἐμοῦ κρατοῦσι γῆς.
17 ἐγὼ τοὺς ἐμὲ φιλοῦντας ἀγαπῶ,
οἱ δὲ ἐμὲ ζητοῦντες εὑρήσουσιν.
18 πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα ἐμοὶ ὑπάρχει
καὶ κτῆσις πολλῶν καὶ δικαιοσύνη·
19 βέλτιον ἐμὲ καρπίζεσθαι ὑπὲρ χρυσίον καὶ λίθον τίμιον,
τὰ δὲ ἐμὰ γενήματα κρείσσω ἀργυρίου ἐκλεκτοῦ.
20 ἐν ὁδοῖς δικαιοσύνης περιπατῶ
καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τρίβων δικαιώματος ἀναστρέφομαι,
21 ἵνα μερίσω τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀγαπῶσιν ὕπαρξιν
καὶ τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν ἐμπλήσω ἀγαθῶν.
21a ἐὰν ἀναγγείλω ὑμῖν τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν γινόμενα,
μνημονεύσω τὰ ἐξ αἰῶνος ἀριθμῆσαι.
22 κύριος ἔκτισέν με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ,
23 πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐθεμελίωσέν με ἐν ἀρχῇ,
24 πρὸ τοῦ τὴν γῆν ποιῆσαι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὰς ἀβύσσους ποιῆσαι,
πρὸ τοῦ προελθεῖν τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων,
25 πρὸ τοῦ ὄρη ἑδρασθῆναι,
πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με.
26 κύριος ἐποίησεν χώρας καὶ ἀοικήτους
καὶ ἄκρα οἰκούμενα τῆς ὑπ᾽ οὐρανόν.
27 ἡνίκα ἡτοίμαζεν τὸν οὐρανόν, συμπαρήμην αὐτῷ,
καὶ ὅτε ἀφώριζεν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θρόνον ἐπ᾽ ἀνέμων.
28 ἡνίκα ἰσχυρὰ ἐποίει τὰ ἄνω νέφη,
καὶ ὡς ἀσφαλεῖς ἐτίθει πηγὰς τῆς ὑπ᾽ οὐρανὸν
29 καὶ ἰσχυρὰ ἐποίει τὰ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς,
30 ἤμην παρ᾽ αὐτῷ ἁρμόζουσα,
ἐγὼ ἤμην ᾗ προσέχαιρεν.
καθ᾽ ἡμέραν δὲ εὐφραινόμην ἐν προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ,
31 ὅτε εὐφραίνετο τὴν οἰκουμένην συντελέσας
καὶ ἐνευφραίνετο ἐν υἱοῖς ἀνθρώπων.
32 νῦν οὖν, υἱέ, ἄκουέ μου.
34 μακάριος ἀνήρ, ὃς εἰσακούσεταί μου,
καὶ ἄνθρωπος, ὃς τὰς ἐμὰς ὁδοὺς φυλάξει
ἀγρυπνῶν ἐπ᾽ ἐμαῖς θύραις καθ᾽ ἡμέραν
τηρῶν σταθμοὺς ἐμῶν εἰσόδων·
35 αἱ γὰρ ἔξοδοί μου ἔξοδοι ζωῆς,
καὶ ἑτοιμάζεται θέλησις παρὰ κυρίου.
36 οἱ δὲ εἰς ἐμὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες ἀσεβοῦσιν τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς,
καὶ οἱ μισοῦντές με ἀγαπῶσιν θάνατον.