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 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.

¹Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars.

²She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table.

³She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city:

⁴Whosoever is a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she said:

⁵Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you.

⁶Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence.

⁷He that teacheth a scorner, doth an injury to himself; and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot.

⁸Rebuke not a scorner, lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

⁹Give an occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added to him. Teach a just man, and he shall make haste to receive it.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is prudence.

¹¹For by me shall thy days be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

¹²If thou be wise, thou shalt be so to thyself: and if a scorner, thou alone shalt bear the evil.

¹³A foolish woman and clamorous, and full of allurements, and knowing nothing at all,

¹⁴Sat at the door of her house, upon a seat, in a high place of the city,

¹⁵To call them that pass by the way, and go on their journey:

¹⁶He that is a little one, let him turn to me. And to the fool she said:

¹⁷Stolen waters are sweeter, and hidden bread is more pleasant.

¹⁸And he did not know that giants are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.