²² “The Lord ^[a]created me ^(A)at the beginning of His way,
Before His works ^[b]of old.
²³ From eternity I was ^[c](B)established,
From the beginning, ^(C)from the earliest times of the earth.
²⁴ When there were no ^(D)ocean depths, I was born,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
^25 (E)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was born;
²⁶ While He had not yet made the earth and the ^[d]fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
²⁷ When He ^(F)established the heavens, I was there;
When ^(G)He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became ^[e]fixed,
²⁹ When ^(H)He set a boundary for the sea
So that the water would not violate His ^[f]command,
When He marked out ^(I)the foundations of the earth;
³⁰ Then ^(J)I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was His delight daily,
^[g]Rejoicing always before Him,
^31 [h]Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having ^(K)my delight in the sons of mankind.

³² “Now then, sons, ^(L)listen to me,
For ^(M)blessed are those who keep my ways.
^33 (N)Listen to instruction and be wise,
And do not neglect it.
^34 (O)Blessed is the person who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
³⁵ For ^(P)one who finds me finds life,
And ^(Q)obtains favor from the Lord.
³⁶ But one who ^[i]sins against me ^(R)injures himself;
All those who ^(S)hate me ^(T)love death.”