Proverbs 8
The Gifts of Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom call,
and does not understanding raise her voice?
2 23
On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 24
beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
4
“To you, O people, I call,
and my cry is to all that live.
5 26
O simple ones, learn prudence;
acquire intelligence, you who lack it.
6 27
Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right;
7 28
for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 29
All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9
They are all straight to one who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.
10
Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold;
11
for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12
I, wisdom, live with prudence,[a]
and I attain knowledge and discretion.
13
The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14
I have good advice and sound wisdom;
I have insight, I have strength.
15
By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16
by me rulers rule,
and nobles, all who govern rightly.
17
I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18
Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20
I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21
endowing with wealth those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
Wisdom’s Part in Creation
22
The LORD created me at the beginning[b] of his work,[c]
the first of his acts of long ago.
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.
25
Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth—
when he had not yet made earth and fields,[d]
or the world’s first bits of soil.
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 fountains 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,
30
then I was beside him, like a master worker;[e]
and I was daily his[f] delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31
rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the human race.
32
“And now, my children, listen to me:
happy are those who keep my ways.
33
Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34
Happy is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35
For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the LORD;
36
but those who miss me injure themselves;
all who hate me love death.”
Footnotes
1. Proverbs 8:12 Meaning of Heb uncertain
2. Proverbs 8:22 Or me as the beginning
3. Proverbs 8:22 Heb way
4. Proverbs 8:26 Meaning of Heb uncertain
5. Proverbs 8:30 Another reading is little child
6. Proverbs 8:30 Gk: Heb lacks his
Genesis 1:1-2

1 In the beginning when God created[a] the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the
face of the deep, while a wind from God[b] swept over the face of the waters.

Genesis 2: 4-14
4
These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

Another Account of the Creation

In the day that the LORD[a] God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no
herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to
till the ground; 6 but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— 7 then the LORD God
formed man from the dust of the ground,[b] and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living
being. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of
the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in
the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10
A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. 11 The name of the
first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is
good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the
whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the
Euphrates.
James 1:13-15
13
No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being
tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and
he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s
own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when
that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that
sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.
James 3:6
6
And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among
our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole
body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on
fire by hell.
Matthew 5:21-22
21
“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient
times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders
shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that if
you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable
to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will
be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you
will be liable to the hell of fire.
Matthew 5:42-45
42
Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not
refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. 43 “You
have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so
that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for
he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and
sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
Sirach 15:11-12, 20
11
Do not say, “It was the Lord’s doing that I fell away”;
for he does not do what he hates. 12 Do not say, “It was
he who led me astray”; for he has no need of the sinful.
20
He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he
has not given anyone permission to sin.
Sirach 22:27 (cf. 28:12, 24-25)
27
Who will set a guard over my mouth, and an effective
seal upon my lips, so that I may not fall because of them,
and my tongue may not destroy me?
Sirach 28:7
Remember the commandments, and do not be angry
with your neighbor; remember the covenant of the Most
High, and overlook faults.
Sirach 4:4-10
4
Do not reject a suppliant in distress,
or turn your face away from the poor.
5
Do not avert your eye from the needy,
and give no one reason to curse you;
6
for if in bitterness of soul some should curse you,
their Creator will hear their prayer.
7
Endear yourself to the congregation;
bow your head low to the great.
8
Give a hearing to the poor,
and return their greeting politely.
9
Rescue the oppressed from the oppressor;
and do not be hesitant in giving a verdict.
10
Be a father to orphans,
and be like a husband to their mother;
you will then be like a son of the Most High,
and he will love you more than does your mother.
Matthew 6:12, 14-15
12
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our
debtors.13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive
others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 11:28-30
28
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying
heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke
upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Luke 12:33
33
Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for
yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in
heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth
destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.
Luke 18:22
22
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still
one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute
the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven; then come, follow me.”
Romans 9:20-21
20
But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with
God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it,
“Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no
right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one
object for special use and another for ordinary use?
Romans 12:15
5 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who
weep.
Sirach 28:2-4
2
Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
3
Does anyone harbor anger against another,
and expect healing from the Lord?
4
If one has no mercy toward another like himself,
can he then seek pardon for his own sins?
Sirach 51:23-27 (cf. 6:24-28; 24:19)
Draw near to me, you who are uneducated, and lodge in
the house of instruction. 24 Why do you say you are
lacking in these things, and why do you endure such
great thirst? 25 I opened my mouth and said, Acquire
wisdom for yourselves without money. 26 Put your neck
under her yoke, and let your souls receive instruction;
it is to be found close by. 27 See with your own eyes
that I have labored but little and found for myself much
serenity.
Sirach 29:9-12
9
Help the poor for the commandment’s sake, and in their
need do not send them away empty-handed. 10 Lose your
silver for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let
it rust under a stone and be lost. 11 Lay up your treasure
according to the commandments of the Most High, and it
will profit you more than gold. 12 Store up almsgiving in
your treasury, and it will rescue you from every disaster;
Sirach 33:12-13
Some he blessed and exalted, and some he made holy
and brought near to himself; but some he cursed and
brought low, and turned them out of their place. 13 Like
clay in the hand of the potter, to be molded as he pleases,
so all are in the hand of their Maker, to be given
whatever he decides.
Sirach 7:34
Do not avoid those who weep, but mourn with those
who mourn.