The preaching of wisdom. Her excellence.

 1 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
Numquid non sapientia clamitat, et prudentia dat vocem suam?

 2 Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.
In summis excelsisque verticibus supra viam, in mediis semitis stans,

 3 Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
juxta portas civitatis, in ipsis foribus loquitur, dicens :

 4 O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
O viri, ad vos clamito, et vox mea ad filios hominum.

 5 O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
Intelligite, parvuli, astutiam, et insipientes, animadvertite.

 6 Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum, et aperientur labia mea ut recta praedicent.

 7 My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
Veritatem meditabitur guttur meum, et labia mea detestabuntur impium.

 8 All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
Justi sunt omnes sermones mei : non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum;

 9 They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
recti sunt intelligentibus, et aequi invenientibus scientiam.

 10 Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.
Accipite disciplinam meam, et non pecuniam; doctrinam magis quam aurum eligite :

 11 For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
melior est enim sapientia cunctis pretiosissimis, et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari.

 12 I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
Ego sapientia, habito in consilio, et eruditis intersum cogitationibus.

 13 The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
Timor Domini odit malum, arrogantiam et superbiam, et viam pravam, et os bilingue detestor.

 14 Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
Meum est consilium et aequitas; mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo.

 15 By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
Per me reges regnant, et legum conditores justa decernunt;

 16 By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt justitiam.

 17 I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
Ego diligentes me diligo, et qui mane vigilant ad me, invenient me.

 18 With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.
Mecum sunt divitiae et gloria, opes superbae et justitia.

 19 For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.
Melior est enim fructus meus auro et lapide pretioso, et genimina me argento electo.

 20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
In viis justitiae ambulo, in medio semitarum judicii,

 21 That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.
ut ditem diligentes me, et thesauros eorum repleam.

 22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum antequam quidquam faceret a principio.

 23 I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
Ab aeterno ordinata sum, et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret.

 24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
Nondum erant abyssi, et ego jam concepta eram, necdum fontes aquarum eruperant;

 25 The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:
necdum montes gravi mole constiterant : ante colles ego parturiebar.

 26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.
Adhuc terram non fecerat, et flumina, et cardines orbis terrae.

 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
Quando praeparabat caelos, aderam; quando certa lege et gyro vallabat abyssos;

 28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:
quando aethera firmabat sursum, et librabat fontes aquarum;

 29 When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when he balanced the foundations of the earth;
quando circumdabat mari terminum suum, et legem ponebat aquis, ne transirent fines suos : quando appendebat fundamenta terrae;

 30 I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
cum eo eram, cuncta componens. Et delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore,

 31 Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
ludens in orbe terrarum; et deliciae meae esse cum filiis hominum.

 32 Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.
Nunc ergo, filii, audite me : beati qui custodiunt vias meas.

 33 Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
Audite disciplinam, et estote sapientes, et nolite abjicere eam.

 34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei.

 35 He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino.

 36 But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
Qui autem in me peccaverit, laedet animam suam; omnes qui me oderunt diligunt mortem.