Proverbs 9

The Way of Wisdom

9^vWisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her ^wseven ^xpillars.

²She has ^yslaughtered her beasts; she has ^zmixed her wine;

she has also ^aset her table.

³She has ^bsent out her young women to ^ccall

from ^dthe highest places in the town,

^4e“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

^fTo him who lacks sense she says,

⁵“Come, ^geat of my bread

and ^hdrink of ^zthe wine I have mixed.

⁶Leave ⁱyour simple ways,¹ and ^jlive,

^kand walk in the way of insight.”

⁷Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,

and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

^8lDo not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

^mreprove a wise man, and he will love you.

⁹Give instruction² to a wise man, and he will be ⁿstill wiser;

teach a righteous man, and he will ^oincrease in learning.

^10pThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and ^qthe knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

¹¹For by me ^ryour days will be multiplied,

and years will be added to your life.

^12sIf you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

^13tThe woman Folly is ^uloud;

she is seductive³ and ^vknows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on ^wthe highest places of the town,

¹⁵calling to those who pass by,

who are ^xgoing straight on their way,

^16y“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks sense she says,

^17z“Stolen water is sweet,

and ^abread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸But he does not know ^bthat the dead⁴ are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.