In Praise of Wisdom
1 Listen! Wisdom is calling out.
Reason is making herself heard.
2 On the hilltops near the road
and at the crossroads she stands.
3 At the entrance to the city,
beside the gates, she calls:
4 “I appeal to all of you;
I call to everyone on earth.
5 Are you immature? Learn to be mature.
Are you foolish? Learn to have sense.
6 Listen to my excellent words;
all I tell you is right.
7 What I say is the truth;
lies are hateful to me.
8 Everything I say is true;
nothing is false or misleading.
9 To those with insight, it is all clear;
to the well-informed, it is all plain.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver;
choose knowledge rather than the finest gold.
11 “I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels;
nothing you want can compare with me.
12 I am Wisdom, and I have insight;
I have knowledge and sound judgment.
13 To honor the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil ways and false words.
14 I make plans and carry them out.
I have understanding, and I am strong.
15 I help kings to govern
and rulers to make good laws.
16 Every ruler on earth governs with my help,
officials and nobles alike.
17 I love those who love me;
whoever looks for me can find me.
18 I have riches and honor to give,
prosperity and success.
19 What you get from me is better than the finest gold,
better than the purest silver.
20 I walk the way of righteousness;
I follow the paths of justice,
21 giving wealth to those who love me,
filling their houses with treasures.
22 “The Lord created me first of all,
the first of his works, long ago.
23 I was made in the very beginning,
at the first, before the world began.
24 I was born before the oceans,
when there were no springs of water.
25 I was born before the mountains,
before the hills were set in place,
26 before God made the earth and its fields
or even the first handful of soil.
27 I was there when he set the sky in place,
when he stretched the horizon across the ocean,
28 when he placed the clouds in the sky,
when he opened the springs of the ocean
29 and ordered the waters of the sea
to rise no further than he said.
I was there when he laid the earth's foundations.
30 I was beside him like an architect,
I was his daily source of joy,
always happy in his presence—
31 happy with the world
and pleased with the human race.
32 “Now, young people, listen to me.
Do as I say, and you will be happy.
33 Listen to what you are taught.
Be wise; do not neglect it.
34 Those who listen to me will be happy—
those who stay at my door every day,
waiting at the entrance to my home.
35 Those who find me find life,
and the Lord will be pleased with them.
36 Those who do not find me hurt themselves;
anyone who hates me loves death.”
Gudrības slavinājums
1 Vai gudrība nesauc,
vai sapratne neceļ balsi?
2 Kalna galā ceļa malā,
krustcelēs tā stājas,
3 pie vārtiem, kas pilsētā ved,
vārtu ejā tā kliedz:
4 jums, vīri, es saucu,
es runāju uz cilvēkdēliem –
5 ņemieties jūs, vientieši, prātu
un jūs, muļķi, gūstiet saprašanu,
6 klausieties, es runāšu cildenas lietas,
kas nāk man pār lūpām, tas – pareizs!
7 Patiesība pie manām aukslējām,
riebj manām lūpām negantība,
8 taisns viss, ko teic mana mute,
nav tur nekā greiza vai viltīga –
9 viss tur taisns tādam, kas saprot,
un pareizs tam, kas atradis zināšanu!
10 Ņemiet manu mācību, ne sudrabu
un labāk zināšanu, ne izcilu zeltu,
11 jo gudrība labāka par pērlēm –
nekas, ko tu vēlētos, nebūs tai līdzīgs!
12 Es, gudrība, mītu atjautai blakus,
ar mani ir zinības un izmanība.
13 Bīties Dieva ir – nīst ļaunu!
Lepnību, augstprātību un ļaunas gaitas,
un nešķīstu muti es nīstu!
14 Man padoms un gudra ziņa,
es – saprašana, man spēks!
15 Ar mani ķēniņi valda
un valdoņi taisnību lemj,
16 ar mani augstmaņi valda
un dižciltīgie – visi taisnie soģi!
17 Kas mani mīl, tos es mīlu,
kas mani meklē, tie mani atradīs.
18 Bagātība un gods nāk man līdzi,
augoša manta un taisns guvums.
19 Mani augļi labāki par zeltu, par tīru zeltu,
un mana raža – par izcilu sudrabu.
20 Taisnības ceļu es staigāju,
turos pie patiesības takām,
21 es dāvāju pārticību tiem, kas mani mīl,
un viņu mantnīcas pildu.
Gudrības līdzdalība radīšanā
(Jņ 1:1–3)22 Kungs mani radīja, sākdams savas gaitas,
es viņam senākā – no tiem laikiem!
23 Mūžsen es darināta,
iesākumā – vēl pirms zemes!
24 Kad vēl nebija dzelmes, es dzimu,
kad nebija avotu, grūsnu ūdens,
25 pirms kalni bija guldīti,
pirms pauguri – es dzimu,
26 kad viņš vēl nebija taisījis
ne zemi, ne āres, ne pasaules pīšļus!
27 Kad viņš uzlika debesis, es biju klāt,
kad novilka apvārsni dzelmei pāri,
28 kad darīja stiprus mākoņus augšā
un spēcināja avotus dzelmē,
29 kad nolika jūrai robežu
un ūdeņi stājās, kur viņš lika,
kad nosprauda zemes pamatus,
30 tad es biju viņam līdzās kā darbiniece
un iepriecinājums diendienā,
es līksmojos viņa priekšā vislaik,
31 es līksmojos viņa pasaules lokā
un mans prieks – ar cilvēka dēliem.
32 Un nu, dēli, klausieties manī –
svētīts, kas staigā manus ceļus! –
33 Uzklausiet pamācības un topiet gudri –
neatmetiet tās!
34 Svētīts, kas klausās manī,
kas diendienā gaida pie manām durvīm,
35 jo, kas rod mani, rod dzīvību
un iemanto labvēlību no Kunga!
36 Bet, kas mani atmet, dara sev pāri –
tie, kas nīst mani, mīl nāvi!
