The Way of Wisdom

¹Wisdom has built her house,[#Mt 16:18; Eph 2:20–22]

she has hewn her seven pillars.

²She has slaughtered her meat; she has mixed her wine;[#Pr 23:30]

she has also set her table.

³She has sent out her maidens,

and she calls out from the highest places in the city,

⁴“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

To him who lacks understanding, she says,

⁵“Come, eat of my bread

and drink of the wine I have mixed.

⁶Forsake foolishness and live,

and proceed in the way of understanding.”

⁷He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,

and he who rebukes a wicked man gets hurt.

⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you;[#Mt 7:6]

reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be wiser still;

teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,[#Job 28:28; Ps 111:10; Pr 1:7]

and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied,[#Pr 3:16]

and years will be added to your life.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;[#Job 22:2–3]

if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

¹³The foolish woman is clamorous;[#Pr 7:11]

she is ignorant and knows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house,

on a seat at the high places of the city,

¹⁵calling out to those who pass by,

who are going straight on their way:

¹⁶“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks understanding she says,

¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸But he does not know that the dead are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.