Proverbs 9

Chapter 9

¹Wisdom hath built her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars; ²she hath slaughtered her cattle, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also prepared her table; ³she hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the summits of the high places of the city, ⁴Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. To him that is void of understanding, she saith, ⁵Come, eat ye of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled. ⁶Forsake follies and live, and go in the way of intelligence. ⁷He that instructeth a scorner getteth to himself shame; and he that reproveth a wicked man getteth to himself a blot. ⁸Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise man, and he will love thee. ⁹Impart to a wise man, and he will become yet wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase learning. ¹⁰The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is intelligence. ¹¹For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee. ¹²If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

¹³The foolish woman is clamorous; she is stupid, and knoweth nothing. ¹⁴And she sitteth at the entry of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, ¹⁵to call passers-by who go right on their ways: ¹⁶Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. And to him that is void of understanding she saith, ¹⁷Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant. ¹⁸But he knoweth not that the dead are there; that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.