A   Doth not ^note wysdome crye? doth not vnderstandynge put forth her voyce? Standeth she not in the hye places in the stretes and wayes? doth she not crye before the whole cytie, and in the gates where men go out and in? It is you, O ye men (sayeth she) whom I call: Unto (the chyldren of men) do I lyft vp my voyce. Take hede vnto knowledge O ye ignora&ubar;t be wyse in herte, O ye foles. Geue eare, for I wyll speake of greate matters, and open my lyppes to tell thynges that be ryght. For my throte shalbe talkynge of the trueth and my lyppes abhorre vngodlynesse. All the wordes of my mouth are righteous, there is no frowarnedsse nor falshede therin. They are all playne to soche as wyll vnderstande, and ryght to them that fynde knowledge. Receaue my doctryne, and not syluer: and my knowledge, more then fyne golde. For ^note wysdome is more worth then precious stones, yee all thynges that thou canst desyre, maye not be c&obar;pared vnto it. B   I wysdome haue my dwellynge with knowledge, and prudent councell is myne awne. The feare of the Lorde abhorreth wyckednesse, pryde dysdayne, and the euell waye: and a mouth that speaketh wycked thynges, I vtterly abhorre. I can geue councell, and I c&obar;ferre thinges: I haue vnderstanding, I haue strength. ^noteThorowe me, kynges reygne: thorowe me counselars make iust lawes. Thorowe me, do prynces beare rule, and all iudges of the earth execute iudgement. I am louynge vnto those that loue me: and ^note they that seke me early shall fynde me. Ryches and honoure are with me, ye excellent goodes and ryghteousnes. My frute is better then golde and precious stone, and myne encrease more worth then fyne syluer. I wyll

guyde the in the waye of ryghteousnes, and in the strete of iudgement. C   That I maye sende prosperite to those that loue me, and to encrease their treasure. &rhand; ^note The Lorde him selfe had me in possessyon &rhand; in the begynnynge of his wayes, or euer he beganne his worckes a fore tyme. ^noteI haue bene ordened from euerlastynge, and fr&obar; the begynnynge or euer the earth was made. When I was borne, there were nether depthes nor sprynges of water. Before the fo&ubar;dacyons of the mo&ubar;taynes were layed, yee before all hylles was I borne. The earth and all that is vpon the earth was not yet made, no not the grounde it selfe. ^noteFor when he made the heauens, D   I was present: when he sett vp the depthes in ordre, wh&ebar; he hanged the cloudes aboue: wh&ebar; he fastened þe; sprynges of the depe: When he shut the see within ^note certayne bowndes, that the waters shulde not go ouer their marckes þt; he c&obar;maunded. ^note

When he layed the foundacy&obar;s of þe; earth I was with him, ordrynge all thynges: delytinge dayly, and reioysynge all waye before him. As for the rounde c&obar;pase of thys worlde, I make it ioyfull: for my delyte is to be amonge the chyldren of men. Therfore herken vnto me, O ye chyldren, blessed are they that kepe my wayes. O geue eare vnto nurtoure, be wyse, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watchynge dayly at my gates, and geuynge attenda&ubar;ce at þe; postes of my dores. For who so fyndeth me, fyndeth lyfe, and shall obtayne fauour of the Lorde. But who so offendeth agaynst me, hurteth his awne soule. All they that hate me, are the louers of death.

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