1 Shall wisdom cry aloud And not her speech be heard? The voice of God's eternal word, Deserves it no regard?
2 "I was his chief delight, "His everlasting Son, "Before the first of all his works, "Creation, was begun.
3 ["Before the flying clouds, "Before the solid land, "Before the fields, before the floods, "I dwelt at his right hand.
4 "When he adorn'd the skies, "And built them I was there "To order where the sun should rise, "And marshal every star.
5 "When he pour'd out the sea, "And spread the flowing deep, "I gave the flood a firm decree, "In its own bounds to keep.]
6 "Upon the empty air The earth was balanc'd well; "With joy I saw the mansion where "The sons of men should dwell.
7 "My busy thoughts at first "On their salvation ran, "Ere sin was born, or Adam's dust "Was fashioned to a man.
8 "Then come, receive my grace, "Ye children, and be wise; "Happy the man that keeps my ways; "The man that shuns them dies."