Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Proverbs 8
New King James Version

### The Excellence of Wisdom

8 Does not (A)wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the [a]high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you [b]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Listen, for I will speak of (B)excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 (C)For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 (D)The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(E)Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And (F)the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (G)I have strength.
15 (H)By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of [c]the earth.
17 (I)I love those who love me,
And (J)those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 (K)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I [d]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

22 “The(L) Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 (M)I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 (N)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the [e]fields,
Or the [f]primal dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
29 (O)When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When (P)He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 (Q)Then I was beside Him as [g]a master craftsman;
(R)And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And (S)my delight was with the sons of men.

32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For (T)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 (U)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And (V)obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me (W)wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”

#### Footnotes

1. Proverbs 8:2 Lit. heights
2. Proverbs 8:5 naive
3. Proverbs 8:16 MT, Syr., Tg., Vg. righteousness; LXX, Bg., some mss. and editions earth
4. Proverbs 8:20 walk about on
5. Proverbs 8:26 outer places
6. Proverbs 8:26 Lit. beginning of the dust
7. Proverbs 8:30 A Jewish tradition one brought up

#### Cross references

1. Proverbs 8:1 : Prov. 1:20, 21; 9:3; [1 Cor. 1:24]
2. Proverbs 8:6 : Prov. 22:20
3. Proverbs 8:11 : Job 28:15; Ps. 19:10; 119:127; Prov. 3:14, 15; 4:5, 7; 16:16
4. Proverbs 8:13 : Prov. 3:7; 16:6
5. Proverbs 8:13 : 1 Sam. 2:3; [Prov. 16:17, 18; Is. 13:11]
6. Proverbs 8:13 : Prov. 4:24
7. Proverbs 8:14 : Eccl. 7:19; 9:16
8. Proverbs 8:15 : 2 Chr. 1:10; Prov. 29:4; Dan. 2:21; [Matt. 28:18]; Rom. 13:1
9. Proverbs 8:17 : 1 Sam. 2:30; [Ps. 91:14]; Prov. 4:6; [John 14:21]
10. Proverbs 8:17 : Prov. 2:4, 5; John 7:37; James 1:5
11. Proverbs 8:18 : Prov. 3:16; [Matt. 6:33]
12. Proverbs 8:22 : Job 28:26–28; Ps. 104:24; Prov. 3:19; [John 1:1]
13. Proverbs 8:23 : [Ps. 2:6]
14. Proverbs 8:25 : Job 15:7, 8
15. Proverbs 8:29 : Gen. 1:9, 10; Job 38:8–11; Ps. 33:7; 104:9; Jer. 5:22
16. Proverbs 8:29 : Job 28:4, 6; Ps. 104:5
17. Proverbs 8:30 : [John 1:1–3, 18]
18. Proverbs 8:30 : [Matt. 3:17]
19. Proverbs 8:31 : Ps. 16:3; John 13:1
20. Proverbs 8:32 : Ps. 119:1, 2; 128:1; Prov. 29:18; Luke 11:28
21. Proverbs 8:34 : Prov. 3:13, 18
22. Proverbs 8:35 : Prov. 3:4; 12:2; [John 17:3]
23. Proverbs 8:36 : Prov. 20:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Everyday Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: 365 Daily Readings Through the Whole Bible
Retail: $29.99
Our Price: $20.99
Save: $9.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Bible Study Bible, Comfort Print: A Study Guide for Every Chapter of the Bible
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, 2nd Edition, Comfort Print: Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God Through His Word
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, Woman's Study Bible, Red Letter, Full-Color: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People
Retail: $19.98
Our Price: $13.99
Save: $5.99 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles