Chapter VIII · Location 8 of 31
Chapter 8 · Open to readFrom Proverbs · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Proverbs Chapter 8 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
Opening comparisons and commands retain the chapter’s wording. The speaker’s examples and future assertions remain attributed. Closing sayings are preserved without added events or universal guarantees.
Chapter breakdown
Proverbs 8 heads Wisdom’s preaching and excellence. Wisdom cries and prudence voices, standing in highest places by ways and paths, beside city gates and doors. She calls men and little ones to subtlety and unwise attention, promising great and right words. Mouth shall meditate truth, lips hate wickedness; words are just and without perversity, right to understanding people and knowledge finders. Receive instruction instead of money and choose knowledge over gold, beyond precious things and desires.
Wisdom dwells in counsel and learned thoughts. Fear of the Lord hates evil; she hates arrogance, pride, wicked ways and double tongue, owns counsel, equity, prudence and strength. By her kings reign, lawgivers decree just things, princes rule and mighty decree justice. No separate test of political legitimacy or tyranny is added. She loves lovers; early watchers shall find her. Riches, glory, glorious riches and justice accompany her; fruit exceeds gold and precious stone, blossoms choice silver. She walks justice and judgment to enrich lovers and fill treasures, without substituting spiritual peace for treasures.
She says the Lord possessed her before making anything, set her up from eternity before earth; conceived before depths and fountains, brought forth before mountains and hills, before earth, rivers and world’s poles. She was present at heaven’s preparation and law and compass enclosing depths, established sky and poised fountains, bounded sea and water limits and balanced earth foundations. With Him forming all things, she was delighted daily, playing before Him and in the world, delighting with children of men. These attributed words are not expanded into an unprovided craftsman title, celestial dome model or Trinitarian identification.
Children are called to hear and keep ways, hear instruction and refuse it not. Blessed is the daily gate watcher and doorpost waiter. The finder shall find life and salvation from the Lord; sin against her hurts one’s own soul, and haters love death.
The story inside
Opening: Opening comparisons and commands retain the chapter’s wording. Development: The speaker’s examples and future assertions remain attributed. Conclusion: Closing sayings are preserved without added events or universal guarantees.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1Opening comparisons and commands retain the chapter’s wording.
- 2The speaker’s examples and future assertions remain attributed.
- 3Closing sayings are preserved without added events or universal guarantees.
Test your recall
Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?
Source edition and notes
Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.
Lines 67838–67839
Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
Lines 67852–67853
For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
Lines 67862–67863
By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things.
Lines 67880–67881
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
Lines 67905–67906
I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
Lines 67919–67920
He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord.
Lines 67922–67923
But he that shall sin against me shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
