Proverbs 9

¹Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars. ²She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table. ³She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city: ⁴“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him, ⁵“Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed! ⁶Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.” ⁷He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse. ⁸Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. ⁹Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. ¹⁰The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. ¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased. ¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it. ¹³The foolish woman is loud, undisciplined, and knows nothing. ¹⁴She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, ¹⁵To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways, ¹⁶“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him, ¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.” ¹⁸But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: ²She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. ³She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, ⁴Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, ⁵Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. ⁶Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. ⁷He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. ⁸Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. ⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. ¹¹For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. ¹²If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. ¹³A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. ¹⁴For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, ¹⁵To call passengers who go right on their ways: ¹⁶Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, ¹⁷Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. ¹⁸But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.