Proverbs 9:1-18

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

²She has slaughtered her animals; she has mixed her wine; and she has set her table.

³She has sent out her maids; she calls out from the highest points of the city,

⁴“Who is naive? Let him turn aside here!” To the one lacking good sense she speaks.

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

⁶Leave your naive actions and live; walk in the path of understanding.

⁷Whoever disciplines a mocker receives abuse, and whoever rebukes a wicked person receives insults.

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

⁹Give to a wise person, and he will become even wiser; teach a righteous person, and he will add to his learning.

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

¹¹For through me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you mock, you will carry it by yourself.”

¹³The woman of foolishness is ignorant; she is untaught and knows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the highest places of the town.

¹⁵She is calling out to those who pass by in the streets, to people walking straight on their way.

¹⁶“Let anyone who is naive turn aside here,” she says to those who have no sense.

¹⁷“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread of secrecy is delicious.”

¹⁸But he does not know that the dead are there, that her invited guests are in the depths of Sheol.