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The .viii. Chapter.
1 Wysdome declareth her excellencie. 11 Riches. 15 Power. 22 Eternitie. 32 She exhorteth all to loue and folowe her.
[unspec A] 1 DOth not * 1.1 wysdome crye? doth not vnder∣standing put foorth her voyce?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the place of the pathes:
3 She cryeth at the gates of the citie, at the entrye of the doores:
4 It is you O ye men [saith she] whom I call, vnto the chyldren of men do I lyft vp my voyce.
5 Take heede vnto knowledge O ye ig∣noraunt, be ye wise in heart O ye fooles.
6 Geue eare, for I wyll speake of great matters, and open my lippes to tell thinges that be right:
[unspec B] 7 For my mouth shall be talking of the trueth, and my lippes abhorre vngod∣lynesse.
8 All the wordes of my mouth are righ∣teous, there is no frowardnes nor false∣hood in them.
9 They are all playne to suche as wyll vnderstande, and right to them that finde knowledge.
10 Receaue my doctrine and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde:
11 * 1.2For wysdome is more worth then pretious stones, yea all thinges that thou canst desire, may not be compared vnto it.
12 I wysdome dwell with counsell, and finde out knowledge and vnderstan∣ding.
13 The feare of the Lorde abhorreth wickednes, pryde, disdayne, and the euil way, and a mouth that speaketh wic∣ked thinges I vtterly abhorre.
[unspec C] 14 Counsell is mine, and direction, I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
15 * 1.3Through me kinges raigne, and prin∣ces make iust lawes.
16 By me princes beare rule, and noble men do iudge the earth.
17 I am louing vnto those that loue me: and * 1.4 they that seeke me early, shall finde me.
18 Riches and honour are with me, yea durable riches and righteousnes.
19 My fruite is better then golde and pretious stones, and mine encrease more worth then fine siluer.
20 I wyll guyde thee in the way of righ∣teousnes, and in the midst of the pathes of iudgement:
21 That I maye stablishe the inhe∣taunce [unspec D] of them that loue me, and en∣crease their treasure.
22 * 1.5The Lorde him selfe had me in pos∣session in the beginning of his wayes, or euer he began his workes aforetime.
23 * 1.6I haue ben ordayned from euerla∣sting, and from the beginning or euer the earth was made.
24 When I was borne there were nei∣ther depthes nor springes of water.
25 Before the foundations of the moun∣taines were layde: yea before all hilles, was I borne:
26 The earth, and all that is vpon the earth was not yet made, no not the dust it selfe.
27 * 1.7For when he made the heauens, I was present, when he compassed the deapthes about:
28 When he hanged the cloudes aboue, [unspec E] when he fastened the springes of the deepe:
29 When he shut the sea within* 1.8 certaine boundes, that the waters should not go ouer their markes that he commaun∣ded: when he layde the foundations of the earth,
30 I was with him “ 1.9 ordring all thinges, deliting dayly and reioysyng alway be∣fore hym.
13 As for the rounde compasse of this worlde I make it ioyfull: for my delite is to be among the chyldren of men.
32 Therefore hearken vnto me: O ye chyldren, blessed are they that kepe my wayes.
33 O geue eare vnto nurture, be wyse, and refuse it not: Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching dayly at my gates, and geuing attendaunce at the postes of my doores.
34 For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtaine fauour of the Lorde.
35 But whoso offendeth against me, hur∣teth his owne soule: and they that hate me, are the louers of death.