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Listen to Wisdom![a]

Listen! Wisdom is calling out. She wants you to understand what is right, so she speaks in a loud voice. She stands where people will hear her, on the hills along the road. She stands where different paths meet. She stands near the gates where people go into the city. This is what she says:

‘I call out to all of you, wherever you live on earth.
You who are silly, learn to be wise!
You who are fools, learn to understand what is right.
Listen! I have important things to tell you.
Everything that I will speak is right.
I say only things that are true.
I hate all wicked lies.
Everything that I say is right and true.
I say nothing that will deceive you.
If you understand what is right, you will understand all my words.
If you have knowledge, you will know that they are true.
10 Receive my wise teaching and knowledge as valuable things.
They are more valuable than silver or the best gold.
11 Wisdom is more valuable than jewels.
Nothing that you might ever want is equal to it.
12 I, wisdom, live with an honest mind as my friend.
I have knowledge and I understand what is right.
13 If you respect the Lord with fear, then you will hate anything that is evil.
I hate proud people who boast.
I hate people who live evil lives.
I hate people who say things to deceive others.
14 I tell people how to do wise things that are right.
I understand what is right and I am strong.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:1 This is the second part of Solomon's lesson. The woman who is called ‘Wisdom’ wants us to listen to her. We should not listen to the adulteress (chapter 7). If we follow her, we are on the road to death. Instead we should listen to Wisdom, so that we enjoy a good life.