Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
The speaker is heavenly wisdom itself, calling universally to the whole human family. The terms for men and sons of man embrace women as well as men, so the call is not limited to males.
The voice speaks excellent, right, true, and righteous things, with nothing twisted or perverse in them, plain to the one who understands and right to those who find knowledge. It urges the simple to understand wisdom and the foolish to become of an understanding heart, choosing instruction and knowledge rather than silver and choice gold. Wisdom is better than rubies and nothing to be desired compares with it, for wisdom dwells with prudence and discovers knowledge of witty inventions, and reverence for the Lord is to hate evil, pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverse speech. True wisdom is grasped when whole-person faith takes in the entire man and lifts the soul out of its imperfect, undeveloped state to understand it.
Through this call the Lord earnestly seeks to instruct every soul who is willing to be taught. For those living in the present age the words are placed in the mouth of His appointed instructor for their benefit, to bear decided testimony to the binding claims of God's law, teaching nonconformity to the way of the surrounding people and reverent honoring of God as holy. Whoever finds wisdom finds life and obtains favor of the Lord, but he who sins against wisdom wrongs his own soul, and all who hate wisdom love death.
The speaker is heavenly wisdom itself, calling universally to the whole human family. The terms for men and sons of man embrace women as well as men, so the call is not limited to males.
The voice speaks excellent, right, true, and righteous things, with nothing twisted or perverse in them, plain to the one who understands and right to those who find knowledge. It urges the simple to understand wisdom and the foolish to become of an understanding heart, choosing instruction and knowledge rather than silver and choice gold. Wisdom is better than rubies and nothing to be desired compares with it, for wisdom dwells with prudence and discovers knowledge of witty inventions, and reverence for the Lord is to hate evil, pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverse speech. True wisdom is grasped when whole-person faith takes in the entire man and lifts the soul out of its imperfect, undeveloped state to understand it.
Through this call the Lord earnestly seeks to instruct every soul who is willing to be taught. For those living in the present age the words are placed in the mouth of His appointed instructor for their benefit, to bear decided testimony to the binding claims of God's law, teaching nonconformity to the way of the surrounding people and reverent honoring of God as holy. Whoever finds wisdom finds life and obtains favor of the Lord, but he who sins against wisdom wrongs his own soul, and all who hate wisdom love death.