Lady Wisdom's invitation

Lady Wisdom with her three daughters,
Faith, Hope, and Love.

Does not Wisdom call,
   and Understanding raise her voice?

On the top of the heights
   along the road, at the crossroads
   she takes her stand.

By the gates at the approaches
   of the city, in the entryways
   she cries aloud:

"To you, O people, I call.

Listen! Noble things I speak.

Take my instruction
   instead of silver,

   and knowledge

   rather than choice gold.

I, Wisdom, dwell
   with prudence,
   and useful knowledge
   I have.

Those who love me
I also love, and those
who seek me find me.

The Lord begot me,
the beginning of his works,
the forerunner of his deeds.

From of old I was formed,
at the first, before the earth.

When he established the heavens,
there was I.

I was his delight day by day,

playing over the whole earth,

having my delight

with human beings.

Now, children, listen to me;

happy are they
who keep my ways.

Listen to instruction

and grow wise.

Whoever finds me finds life,

and wins favor
from the Lord."

Wisdom has built her house,
   she has set up her seven columns.

She has prepared her meat,
   mixed her wine, yes,
   she has spread her table.

She calls from the heights
   out over the city:

"Let whoever is naive
   turn in here, to those
   who lack sense, I say,

Come, eat of my food,
   and drink of the wine

   I have mixed!

Forsake foolishness
   that you may live.

Advance in the way
   of understanding."

Proverbs 8:1-4,6,10,12, 17, 22-23, 27, 30-33, 35; 9:1-6