Proverbs 9

The Way of Wisdom

9Wisdom has ^abuilt her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;

^2bShe has slaughtered her meat,

^cShe has mixed her wine,

She has also ¹furnished her table.

³She has sent out her maidens,

She cries out from the highest places of the city,

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

As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

⁵“Come, ^eeat of my bread

And drink of the wine I have mixed.

⁶Forsake foolishness and live,

And go in the way of understanding.

⁷“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,

And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.

^8fDo not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;

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

⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

Teach a just man, ^hand he will increase in learning.

¹⁰“The ⁱfear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

^11jFor by me your days will be multiplied,

And years of life will be added to you.

^12kIf you are wise, you are wise for yourself,

And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”

The Way of Folly

^13lA foolish woman is ²clamorous;

She is simple, and knows nothing.

¹⁴For she sits at the door of her house,

On a seat ^mby the highest places of the city,

¹⁵To call to those who pass by,

Who go straight on their way:

¹⁶“Whoever ⁿis ³simple, let him turn in here”;

And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷“Stolen ^owater is sweet,

And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸But he does not know that ^pthe dead are there,

That her guests are in the depths of ⁴hell.