13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;I hate arrogant pride and the evil wayand perverse utterances.
14. Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me;I possess understanding and might.
15. Kings reign by means of me,and potentates decree righteousness;
16. by me princes rule,as well as nobles and all righteous judges.
17. I love those who love me,and those who seek me find me.
18. Riches and honor are with me,long-lasting wealth and righteousness.
19. My fruit is better than the purest gold,and what I produce is better than choice silver.
20. I walk in the path of righteousness,in the pathway of justice,
21. that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,and that I may fill their treasuries.
22. The Lord created me as the beginning of his works,before his deeds of long ago.
23. From eternity I was appointed,from the beginning, from before the world existed.
24. When there were no deep oceans I was born,when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25. before the mountains were set in place – before the hills – I was born,
26. before he made the earth and its fields,or the beginning of the dust of the world.
27. When he established the heavens, I was there;when he marked out the horizon over the face of the deep,
28. when he established the clouds above,when the fountains of the deep grew strong,