An incarnation of wisdom. An invocation of wisdom
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Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
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She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
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She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
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O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
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O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
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Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
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For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
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All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
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They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
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Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
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For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.
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I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
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The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride, and arrogancie, and the euill way: and a mouth that speaketh lewde things, I doe hate.
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I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
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By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
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By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
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I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
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Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
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My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.
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I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes, and in the middes of the paths of iudgement,
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That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.
Anticipation of wisdom
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The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
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I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
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When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
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Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
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He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.
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When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
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When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
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When he gaue his decree to the Sea, that the waters shoulde not passe his commandement: when he appointed the foundations of the earth,
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Then was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
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And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.
Call to wisdom
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Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
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Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not: blessed is the man that heareth mee, watching dayly at my gates, and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores.
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For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
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But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.