Proverbs 9:1-18d

¹Wisdom has built a house for herself, And set up seven pillars.

²She has killed her beasts; She has mingled her wine in a bowl, And prepared her table.

³She has sent forth her servants, Calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,

⁴Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: And to them that want understanding she says,

⁵Come, eat of my bread, And drink wine which I have mingled for you.

⁶Leave folly, that ye may reign forever; And seek wisdom, And improve understanding by knowledge.

⁷He that reproves evil men shall get dishonor to himself; And he that rebukes an ungodly man shall disgrace himself.

⁸Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee: Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

⁹Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: Instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the counsel of saints is understanding:

^10aFor to know the law is the character of a sound mind.

¹¹For in this way thou shalt live long, And years of thy life shall be added to thee.

¹²Son, if thou be wise for thyself, thou shalt also be wise for thy neighbors; And if thou shouldest prove wicked, thou alone wilt bear the evil.

^12aHe that stays himself upon falsehoods, attempts to rule the winds, And the same will pursue birds in their flight:

^12bFor he has forsaken the ways of his own vineyard, And he has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go astray;

^12cAnd he goes through a dry desert, And a land appointed to drought, And he gathers barrenness with his hands.

¹³A foolish and bold woman, who knows not modesty, Comes to want a morsel.

¹⁴She sits at the doors of her house, On a seat openly in the streets,

¹⁵Calling to passers by, And to those that are going right on their ways;

¹⁶saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; And I exhort those that want prudence, saying,

¹⁷Take and enjoy secret bread, And the sweet water of theft.

¹⁸But he knows that mighty men die by her, And he falls in with a snare of hell.

^18aBut hasten away, delay not in the place, Neither fix thine eye upon her:

^18bFor thus shalt thou go through strange water;

^18cBut do thou abstain from strange water, And drink not of a strange fountain,

^18dThat thou mayest live long, And years of life may be added to thee.