8:1 Numquid non sapientia clamitat, et prudentia dat vocem suam ?

8:1 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?

8:2 In summis excelsisque verticibus supra viam, in mediis semitis stans,

8:2 Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths,

8:3 juxta portas civitatis, in ipsis foribus loquitur, dicens :

8:3 Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:

8:4 O viri, ad vos clamito, et vox mea ad filios hominum.

8:4 O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.

8:5 Intelligite, parvuli, astutiam, et insipientes, animadvertite.

8:5 O little ones understand subtlety, and ye unwise, take notice.

8:6 Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum, et aperientur labia mea ut recta prædicent.

8:6 Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.

8:7 Veritatem meditabitur guttur meum, et labia mea detestabuntur impium.

8:7 My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.

8:8 Justi sunt omnes sermones mei : non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum ;

8:8 All my words are just, there is nothing wicked, nor perverse in them.

8:9 recti sunt intelligentibus, et æqui invenientibus scientiam.

8:9 They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.

8:10 Accipite disciplinam meam, et non pecuniam ; doctrinam magis quam aurum eligite :

8:10 Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.

8:11 melior est enim sapientia cunctis pretiosissimis, et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari.

8:11 For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.

8:12 Ego sapientia, habito in consilio, et eruditis intersum cogitationibus.

8:12 I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.

8:13 Timor Domini odit malum : arrogantiam, et superbiam, et viam pravam, et os bilingue, detestor.

8:13 The fear of the Lord hateth evil; I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.

8:14 Meum est consilium et æquitas ; mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo.

8:14 Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.

8:15 Per me reges regnant, et legum conditores justa decernunt ;

8:15 By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things.

8:16 per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt justitiam.

8:16 By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.

8:17 Ego diligentes me diligo, et qui mane vigilant ad me, invenient me.

8:17 I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.

8:18 Mecum sunt divitiæ et gloria, opes superbæ et justitia.

8:18 With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.

8:19 Melior est enim fructus meus auro et lapide pretioso, et genimina mea argento electo.

8:19 For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.

8:20 In viis justitiæ ambulo, in medio semitarum judicii :

8:20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,

8:21 ut ditem diligentes me, et thesauros eorum repleam.

8:21 That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.

8:22 Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum antequam quidquam faceret a principio.

8:22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.

8:23 Ab æterno ordinata sum, et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret.

8:23 I was set up from eternity, and of old, before the earth was made.

8:24 Nondum erant abyssi, et ego jam concepta eram : necdum fontes aquarum eruperant,

8:24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived, neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out.

8:25 necdum montes gravi mole constiterant : ante colles ego parturiebar.

8:25 The mountains, with their huge bulk, had not as yet been established: before the hills, I was brought forth:

8:26 Adhuc terram non fecerat, et flumina, et cardines orbis terræ.

8:26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world.

8:27 Quando præparabat cælos, aderam ; quando certa lege et gyro vallabat abyssos ;

8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law, and compass, he enclosed the depths:

8:28 quando æthera firmabat sursum, et librabat fontes aquarum ;

8:28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters:

8:29 quando circumdabat mari terminum suum, et legem ponebat aquis, ne transirent fines suos ; quando appendebat fundamenta terræ :

8:29 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;

8:30 cum eo eram, cuncta componens. Et delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore,

8:30 I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;

8:31 ludens in orbe terrarum ; et deliciæ meæ esse cum filiis hominum.

8:31 Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.

8:32 Nunc ergo, filii, audite me : beati qui custodiunt vias meas.

8:32 Now, therefore, ye children, hear me: blessed are they that keep my ways.

8:33 Audite disciplinam, et estote sapientes, et nolite abjicere eam.

8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

8:34 Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei.

8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.

8:35 Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino.

8:35 He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord.

8:36 Qui autem in me peccaverit, lædet animam suam ; omnes qui me oderunt diligunt mortem.

8:36 But he that shall sin against me shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.