Being Wise or Foolish

9 Wisdom has built her house;

she has made its seven columns.

2  She has prepared her food and wine;

she has set her table.

3  She has sent out her servant girls,

and she calls out from the highest place in the city.

4  She says to those who are uneducated,

“Come in here, you foolish people!

5  Come and eat my food

and drink the wine I have prepared.

6  Stop your foolish ways, and you will live;

take the road of understanding.

7  “If you correct someone who makes fun of wisdom, you will be insulted.

If you correct an evil person, you will get hurt.

8  Do not correct those who make fun of wisdom, or they will hate you.

But correct the wise, and they will love you.

9  Teach the wise, and they will become even wiser;

teach good people, and they will learn even more.

10  “Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord,

and understanding begins with knowing the Holy One.

11  If you live wisely, you will live a long time;

wisdom will add years to your life.

12  The wise person is rewarded by wisdom,

but whoever makes fun of wisdom will suffer for it.”

13  Foolishness is like a loud woman;

she does not have wisdom or knowledge.

14  She sits at the door of her house

at the highest place in the city.

15  She calls out to those who are passing by,

who are going along, minding their own business.

16  She says to those who are uneducated,

“Come in here, you foolish people!

17  Stolen water is sweeter,

and food eaten in secret tastes better.”

18  But these people don’t know that everyone who goes there dies,

that her guests end up deep in the grave.

The Wise Words of Solomon

10 These are the wise words of Solomon:

Wise children make their father happy,

but foolish children make their mother sad.

2  Riches gotten by doing wrong have no value,

but right living will save you from death.

3  The Lord does not let good people go hungry,

but he keeps evil people from getting what they want.

4  A lazy person will end up poor,

but a hard worker will become rich.

5  Those who gather crops on time are wise,

but those who sleep through the harvest are a disgrace.

6  Good people will have rich blessings,

but the wicked will be overwhelmed by violence.

7  Good people will be remembered as a blessing,

but evil people will soon be forgotten.

8  The wise do what they are told,

but a talkative fool will be ruined.

9  The honest person will live in safety,

but the dishonest will be caught.

10  A wink may get you into trouble,

and foolish talk will lead to your ruin.

11  The words of a good person give life, like a fountain of water,

but the words of the wicked contain nothing but violence.

12  Hatred stirs up trouble,

but love forgives all wrongs.

13  Wise people speak with understanding,

but people without wisdom should be punished.

14  The wise don’t tell everything they know,

but the foolish talk too much and are ruined.

15  Having lots of money protects the rich,

but having no money destroys the poor.

16  Good people are rewarded with life,

but evil people are paid with punishment.

17  Whoever accepts correction is on the way to life,

but whoever ignores correction will lead others away from life.

18  Whoever hides hate is a liar.

Whoever tells lies is a fool.

19  If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin;

if you are wise, you will keep quiet.

20  The words of a good person are like pure silver,

but an evil person’s thoughts are worth very little.

21  Good people’s words will help many others,

but fools will die because they don’t have wisdom.

22  The Lord’s blessing brings wealth,

and no sorrow comes with it.

23  A foolish person enjoys doing wrong,

but a person with understanding enjoys doing what is wise.

24  Evil people will get what they fear most,

but good people will get what they want most.

25  A storm will blow the evil person away,

but a good person will always be safe.

26  A lazy person affects the one he works for

like vinegar on the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

27  Whoever respects the Lord will have a long life,

but the life of an evil person will be cut short.

28  A good person can look forward to happiness,

but an evil person can expect nothing.

29  The Lord will protect good people

but will ruin those who do evil.

30  Good people will always be safe,

but evil people will not remain in the land.

31  A good person says wise things,

but a liar’s tongue will be stopped.

32  Good people know the right thing to say,

but evil people only tell lies.

11 The Lord hates dishonest scales,

but he is pleased with honest weights.

2  Pride leads only to shame;

it is wise to be humble.

3  Good people will be guided by honesty;

dishonesty will destroy those who are not trustworthy.

4  Riches will not help when it’s time to die,

but right living will save you from death.

5  The goodness of the innocent makes life easier,

but the wicked will be destroyed by their wickedness.

6  Doing right brings freedom to honest people,

but those who are not trustworthy will be caught by their own desires.

7  When the wicked die, hope dies with them;

their hope in riches will come to nothing.

8  The good person is saved from trouble;

it comes to the wicked instead.

9  With words an evil person can destroy a neighbor,

but a good person will escape by being resourceful.

10  When good people succeed, the city is happy.

When evil people die, there are shouts of joy.

11  Good people bless and build up their city,

but the wicked can destroy it with their words.

12  People without good sense find fault with their neighbors,

but those with understanding keep quiet.

13  Gossips can’t keep secrets,

but a trustworthy person can.

14  Without leadership a nation falls,

but lots of good advice will save it.

15  Whoever guarantees to pay somebody else’s loan will suffer.

It is safer to avoid such promises.

16  A kind woman gets respect,

but cruel men get only wealth.

17  Kind people do themselves a favor,

but cruel people bring trouble on themselves.

18  An evil person really earns nothing,

but a good person will surely be rewarded.

19  Those who are truly good will live,

but those who chase after evil will die.

20  The Lord hates those with evil hearts

but is pleased with those who are innocent.

21  Evil people will certainly be punished,

but those who do right will be set free.

22  A beautiful woman without good sense

is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

23  Those who do right only wish for good,

but the wicked can expect to be defeated by God’s anger.

24  Some people give much but get back even more.

Others don’t give what they should and end up poor.

25  Whoever gives to others will get richer;

those who help others will themselves be helped.

26  People curse those who keep all the grain,

but they bless the one who is willing to sell it.

27  Whoever looks for good will find kindness,

but whoever looks for evil will find trouble.

28  Those who trust in riches will be ruined,

but a good person will be healthy like a green leaf.

29  Whoever brings trouble to his family

will be left with nothing but the wind.

A fool will be a servant to the wise.

30  A good person gives life to others;

the wise person teaches others how to live.

31  Good people will be rewarded on earth,

and the wicked and the sinners will be punished.