Proverbs 8:16

¹Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?²She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.³She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.⁴Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.⁵O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.⁶Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.⁷For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.⁹They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.¹⁰Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.¹²I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.¹³The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.¹⁴Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.¹⁶By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.¹⁷I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.¹⁸Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.²⁰I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:²¹That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.²²The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.²⁵Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:²⁶While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.²⁷When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:²⁸When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:²⁹When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:³⁰Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;³¹Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.³²Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.³³Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.³⁴Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.³⁵For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.³⁶But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

King James Version (1769)

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Verse	KJV	BSB	ASV
16	By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.	By me princes rule, and all nobles who govern justly.	By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

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Original language

Original Hebrew words

English	Hebrew	Say it	Strong's	Meaning
princes	שָׂרִ֣ים	sa-RIM	H8269	ruler שַׂר (sar) 1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain 1a) chieftain, leader 1b) vassal, noble, official (under king) 1c) captain, general, commander (military) 1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes) 1e) heads, princes (of religious office) 1f) elders (of representative leaders of people) 1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity) 1h) patron-angel 1i) Ruler of rulers (of God) 1j) warden
they rule	יָשֹׂ֑רוּ	ya-SO-ru	H8323A	to reign שׂוּר (sur) 1) to be or act as prince, rule, contend, have power, prevail over 1a) (Qal) to rule over, govern 1b) (Hiphil) to make rulers, play the prince
and noble [people]	וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים	u-ne-di-VIM	H5081H	noble: willing נָדִיב (na.div) : willing n m 1) noble one adj 2) inclined, willing, noble, generous 1a) incited, inclined, willing 1b) noble, princely (in rank) 1c) noble (in mind and character) Also means: na.div (נָדִיב ": noble" H5081H) § A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
all	כָּל־	kol-	H3605	all כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
judges of	שֹׁ֥פְטֵי	SHO-fe-tei	H8199	to judge שָׁפַט (sha.phat) 1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man) 1a1a) to rule, govern, judge 1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man) 1a3) to execute judgment 1a3a) discriminating (of man) 1a3b) vindicating 1a3c) condemning and punishing 1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together 1b2) to be judged 1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)
righteousness	צֶֽדֶק׃	TZE-dek	H6664G	righteousness צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) 1) justice, rightness, righteousness 1a) what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures) 1b) righteousness (in government) 1b1) of judges, rulers, kings 1b2) of law 1b3) of Davidic king, Messiah 1b4) of Jerusalem as seat of just government 1b5) of God's attribute 1c) righteousness, justice (in case or cause) 1d) rightness (in speech) 1e) righteousness (as ethically right) 1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification (in controversy), deliverance, victory, prosperity 1f1) of God as covenant-keeping in redemption 1f2) in name of Messianic king …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.