Passage

Proverbs 8.22-31

Book: Proverbs · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"20. I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice; 21. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries."

"22. Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26. While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27. When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28. When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29. When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30. Then I was by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31. Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men."

"32. Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways. 33. Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not." (Proverbs 8:20-33, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"20. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice; 21. That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries."

"22. “Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old. 23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed. 24. When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water. 25. Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born; 26. while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27. When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep, 28. when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong, 29. when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30. then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him, 31. Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men."

"32. “Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways. 33. Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it." (Proverbs 8:20-33, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"20. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: ^{lead: or, walk} 21. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures."

"22. The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26. While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. ^{fields: or, open places} ^{the highest: or, the chief part} 27. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: ^{a compass: or, a circle} 28. When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29. When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30. Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31. Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men."

"32. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 33. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not." (Proverbs 8:20-33, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"20. In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment, 21. To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill."

"22. Jehovah possessed me, the beginning of His way, Before His works since then. 23. From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth. 24. In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters, 25. Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth. 26. While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world. 27. In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep, 28. In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep, 29. In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth, 30. Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight, day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times, 31. Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men."

"32. And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways. 33. Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not." (Proverbs 8:20-33, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.