Proverbs 9

1  WISDOM HAS built her house; she has hewn out and set up her seven [perfect number of] pillars.2  She has killed her beasts, she has mixed her [spiritual] wine; she has also set her table. 3  She has sent out her maids to cry from the highest places of the town:4  Whoever is simple (easily led astray and wavering), let him turn in here! As for him who lacks understanding, [God’s] Wisdom says to him,5  Come, eat of my bread and drink of the [spiritual] wine which I have mixed. 6  Leave off, simple ones [forsake the foolish and simpleminded] and live! And walk in the way of insight and understanding.7  He who rebukes a scorner heaps upon himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man gets for himself bruises.8  Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. 9  Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man (one upright and in right standing with God) and he will increase in learning.10  The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.11  For by me [Wisdom from God] your days shall be multiplied, and the years of your life shall be increased.12  If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scorn, you alone will bear it and pay the penalty.13  The foolish woman is noisy; she is simple and open to all forms of evil, she [willfully and recklessly] knows nothing whatever [of eternal value].14  For she sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the conspicuous places of the town,15  Calling to those who pass by, who go uprightly on their way:16  Whoever is simple (wavering and easily led astray), let him turn in here! And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,17  Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18  But he knows not that the shades of the dead are there [specters haunting the scene of past transgressions], and that her invited guests are [already sunk] in the depths of Sheol (the lower world, Hades, the place of the dead).

Proverbs 9

The Consequences of Accepting Wisdom or Folly

1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has carved out its seven pillars.s

2 She has prepared her meat,t she has mixed her wine;
she also has arranged her table.s

3 She has sent out her female servants;
she calls out on the highest placest of the city.

4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
she sayst to thoset who lack understanding.t

5 “Come, eatt some of my food,
and drink some of the wine I have mixed.ts

6 Abandon your foolish wayst so that you may live,t
and proceedt in the way of understanding.”

7 Whoever correctst a mocker is asking fort insult;t
whoever reproves a wicked person receivest abuse.

8 Do not reprovet a mocker ort he will hate you;
reprove a wise person and he will love you.

9 Give instructiont to a wise person,s and he will become wiser still;
teacht a righteous person and he will add to hist learning.

10 The beginnings of wisdom is to fear the Lord,t
and acknowledgingt the Holy Onet is understanding.

11 For becauset of me your days will be many,
and years will be addedt to your life.

12 If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage,t
but if you are a mocker,t you alone mustt bear it.s

13 The woman called Follyt is brash,t
she is naivet and does not knowt anything.s

14 So she sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,

15 calling outt to those who are passing by hert in the way,t
who go straightt on their way.

16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here,”
she says to those who lack understanding.t

17 “Stolen waterss are sweet,
and food obtained in secrett is pleasant!”

18 But they do not realizet that the deads are there,
that her guests are in the depths of the grave.ss