The Way of Wisdom

¹Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her seven pillars.

²She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

³She has sent out her young women to call

from the highest places in the town,

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

To him who lacks sense she says,

⁵“Come, eat of my bread

and drink of the wine I have mixed.

⁶Leave your simple ways,1 and live,

and walk in the way of insight.”

⁷Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,

and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

⁹Give instruction2 to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

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

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied,

and years will be added to your life.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

¹³The woman Folly is loud;

she is seductive3 and knows nothing.

¹⁴She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,

¹⁵calling 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 sense she says,

¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸But he does not know that the dead4 are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.