Proverbs 9
Invitations of Wisdom and Folly
1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has set upt its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls
from the highest point of the city,
4 "Let all who are simple come to my house!"
To those who have no sense she says,
5 "Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight."
7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through wisdomt your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13 Folly is an unruly woman;
she is simple and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling out to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16 "Let all who are simple come to my house!"
To those who have no sense she says,
17 "Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!"
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm 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
