Wisdom's Poem

Proverbs 8:1-9:12

Does not wisdom call? 
Does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

"To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man. 
O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense. 
Hear, for I will speak noble things, 
and from my lips will come what is right, 
for my mouth will utter truth; 
wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 
All the words of my mouth are righteous; 
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them
They are all straight to him who understands, 
and right to those who find knowledge. 
Take my instruction instead of silver, 
and knowledge rather than choice gold, 
for wisdom is better than jewels, 
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. 
I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. 
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
By me kings reign, 
and rulers decree what is just;
by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.
I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
Riches and honor are with me, 
enduring wealth and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, 
the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up, 
at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 
When there were no depths I was brought forth, 
when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped, 
before the hills, I was brought forth, 
before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when he made firm the skies above, 
when he established the foundations of the deep,
when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command, 
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight, 
rejoicing before him always, 
rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man. 
And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways. 
Hear instruction and be wise,
and and do not neglect it. 
Blessed is the one who listens to e,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
For whoever finds me finds life 
and obtains favor from the Lord,but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death." 

Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, 
"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
To him who lacks sense she says, 
"Come, eat of my bread 
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight."
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, 
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 
For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it. 


The first time I read this, (a couple months ago) it caught me off guard because I have never read it before. Or if I had read it, I apparently didn't pay attention. When I slowed down and read the words, trying to understand what they were saying I found myself in awe. So I tucked the words away and forgot about them, like usual. But I came across them again tonight while I was searching for a completely different passage, and once again I was caught in awe. The words are so delicate, and yet so easy to understand. My mind runs at about... well... think of the fastest thing you've ever seen and then imagine something running faster than that, that's my mind. So it's really hard for me to calm my thoughts, calm my mind, shut everything out for even just enough time to read a few chapters in the Bible. I did manage to do it tonight. I even managed to get some of my thoughts outside my head and typed out...

So...

Let us answer the call to wisdom. Wisdom is crying out to the children of men. We are children of men. you do not have to worry about her betraying you or leaving you behind. There is nothing twisted or crooked in Wisdom's words. No jewel or gem we could imagine could compare to Wisdom. Kings rule and princes rule under her influence. Her harvest is more than choice silver, or fine gold. She was with God in the beginning, before the creation of this world. Blessed is the one who listens to her. For whoever finds Wisdom finds life. Whoever hates Wisdom loves death.