Veritable King James Version
1Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice?
2At the heights along the way, where paths meet, she stands.
3By the gates, at the city’s entrance, at the doorways, she cries aloud:
4“To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all humankind.
5Learn prudence, you simple ones; gain understanding, you foolish.
6Listen, for I speak noble things, and my lips utter what is right.
7My mouth declares truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All my words are just; none are crooked or perverse.
9They are clear to the discerning and right to those who find knowledge.
10Choose my instruction over silver, and knowledge over choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than jewels; no treasure compares with her.
12I, wisdom, dwell with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.
13The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverse speech I despise.
14Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
15By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just.
16By me princes govern, and nobles, all who judge rightly.
17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
18With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield surpasses choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
21granting wealth to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
22The Lord created me at the beginning of His work, before His deeds of old.
23I was formed in ages past, from the first, before the earth began.
24When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when no springs abounded with water.
25Before mountains were settled, before hills, I was brought forth,
26before He made earth or fields, or the first dust of the world.
27When He set the heavens in place, I was there; when He marked out the horizon on the deep,
28when He fixed the skies above, when the fountains of the deep grew strong,
29when He set the sea its bound, so the waters would not pass His command, when He laid out the earth’s foundations,
30I was beside Him, a master worker, His daily delight, rejoicing before Him always,
31delighting in His inhabited world, and finding joy in humankind.
32Now, O children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
33Hear instruction and be wise; do not neglect it.
34Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts.
35For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.
36But whoever misses me harms themselves; all who hate me love death. Proverbs 9 The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 9 – VKJV
Translation notes
In verse 1, chokmah (“wisdom”) and tevunah (“understanding”) are personified as feminine, reflecting Hebrew grammatical gender and theological depiction of wisdom as a divine attribute (cf. Proverbs 3:19). The verb qara (“call out”) suggests an urgent invitation. Verse 2’s “heights” (marom) and “where paths meet” (netivot) indicate wisdom’s accessibility in public spaces. Verse 4’s adam (“humankind”) is rendered inclusively, aligning with the universal address. Verse 5’s peta’im (“simple ones”) and kesilim (“foolish”) denote those lacking discernment, with imperatives urging growth; cross-reference Proverbs 1:22. Verse 7’s “abomination” (to’evah) underscores moral rejection of evil. Verse 8’s “crooked” (petaltol) and “perverse” (’iqqesh) contrast with wisdom’s integrity. Verse 10’s “choose” translates laqach (lit. “take”), emphasizing active acceptance; cross-reference Job 28:15–19 for wisdom’s surpassing value. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants (e.g., 4Q102) alter this section, affirming Masoretic Text reliability.
Verse 12’s first-person “I, wisdom” (ani chokmah) continues the personification, with ’ormah (“prudence”) and mezimmah (“discretion”) as associated virtues. Verse 13’s “fear of the Lord” (yir’at YHWH) is a theological cornerstone, equated with hating evil; cross-reference Job 28:28. “Despise” translates sane’, emphasizing strong rejection. Verse 14’s “counsel” (’etzah) and “sound judgment” (tushiyyah) highlight wisdom’s practical benefits. Verses 15–16 use bi (“by me”) to stress wisdom as the foundation of just governance; cross-reference 1 Kings 3:9 (Solomon’s request for wisdom). Verse 17’s “seek me find me” reflects darash (diligent seeking), with reciprocal love emphasizing covenantal relationship. Verse 18’s “enduring wealth” (hon ’atid) contrasts with fleeting riches; cross-reference Proverbs 3:16. Verse 19 reinforces wisdom’s superior value (cf. verse 10). No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 20’s “way of righteousness” (orach tzedeq) and “paths of justice” (netivot mishpat) align wisdom with divine moral order; cross-reference Psalm 23:3. Verse 21’s “granting wealth” translates nachalah (lit. “inheritance”), suggesting covenantal blessing. Verse 22’s “created” renders qanah, which can mean “acquired” or “possessed”; theologically, this depicts wisdom as preexistent, integral to creation (cf. John 1:1–3 for New Testament parallels). Verse 23’s “formed” (nissakhti) and “ages past” (me’olam) emphasize wisdom’s eternal origin. Verses 24–26 use poetic repetition of “brought forth” (chul, lit. “writhed” or “born”) to describe wisdom’s pre-creation existence, with “depths” (tehomot) and “dust” (’afar) evoking Genesis 1:2, 9. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted; Masoretic Text is stable here.
Verses 27–29 describe wisdom’s presence during creation, with “set” (kun) and “marked out” (chaqaq) reflecting divine order; “horizon” translates chug (lit. “circle”), a poetic image (cf. Job 26:10). Verse 30’s “master worker” renders ’amon, which may mean “artisan” or “nursling,” suggesting wisdom’s active or cherished role; “daily delight” (sha’ashu’im yom yom) emphasizes joy in divine fellowship. Verse 31’s “inhabited world” (tevel) and “humankind” (benei adam) highlight wisdom’s connection to creation and people. Verse 32’s “children” translates banim inclusively, echoing verse 4. Verse 34’s “watching” and “waiting” (shomer, shomer) imply vigilant pursuit; cross-reference Psalm 119:97–100. Verse 35’s “life” (chayyim) and “favor” (ratzon) tie wisdom to divine blessing; cross-reference Proverbs 3:4. Verse 36’s “misses” (chote’, lit. “sins against”) implies moral failure, with “love death” as a stark consequence; theologically, this reflects the choice between life and death (cf. Deuteronomy 30:19). No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
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