Proverbs 9

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 is void of understanding, she saith to him,

⁵Come, eat ye of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled.

⁶Leave off, ye simple ones, and live; And walk in the way of understanding.

⁷He that correcteth a scoffer getteth to himself reviling; And he that reproveth a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

⁸Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee: Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.

⁹Giveinstructionto a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

¹⁰The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

¹¹For by me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.

¹²If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; And if thou scoffest, thou alone shalt bear it.

¹³The foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knoweth nothing.

¹⁴And she sitteth at the door of her house, On a seat in the high places of the city,

¹⁵To call to them that pass by, Who go right on their ways:

¹⁶Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,

¹⁷Stolen waters are sweet, And breadeatenin secret is pleasant.

¹⁸But he knoweth not that the dead are there; That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

³She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.

⁴“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.

⁵“Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.

⁶Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”

⁷He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.

⁸Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

⁹Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

¹¹For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage; but if you scoff, you alone will bear the consequences.

¹³The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city,

¹⁵calling out to those who pass by, who make their paths straight.

¹⁶“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.

¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”

¹⁸But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.