Proverbs 9

The Way of Wisdom

1  Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2  She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3  She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
4  "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
To him who lacks sense she says,
5  "Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6  Leave your simple ways,t and live,
and walk in the way of insight."

7  Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8  Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9  Give instructiont to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11  For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
12  If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

13  The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductivet and knows nothing.
14  She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
15  calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
16  "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
And to him who lacks sense she says,
17  "Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
18  But he does not know that the deadt are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

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