Proverbs 9:8–18

⁸Don’t warn those who make fun of others. They will hate you.

Warn those who are wise. They will love you.

⁹Teach a wise man. He will become even wiser.

Teach a person who does right. He will learn even more.

¹⁰“If you really want to become wise, you must begin by having respect for the Lord.

To know the Holy One is to gain understanding.

¹¹Through me, you will live a long time.

Years will be added to your life.

¹²If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you.

If you make fun of others, you alone will suffer.”

¹³The woman called Foolishness is loud.

She doesn’t control herself. She doesn’t know anything.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house.

She sits at the highest point of the city.

¹⁵She calls out to those who pass by.

She calls out to those who go straight on their way.

¹⁶She says, “Let all who are childish come in here!”

She speaks to those who have no sense.

¹⁷She says, “Stolen water is sweet.

Food eaten in secret tastes good!”

¹⁸But they don’t know that dead people are there.

They don’t know that her guests are in the deepest parts of the grave.