The Way of Wisdom

¹ Wisdom has built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
² She has slaughtered her meat,
She has mixed her wine,
She has also furnished her table.
³ She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
⁴ “ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
⁵ “ Come, eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.
⁷ “ He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
⁸ Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
¹⁰ “ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
¹¹ For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
¹² If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”

The Way of Folly

¹³ A foolish woman is clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing.
¹⁴ For she sits at the door of her house,
On a seat by the highest places of the city,
¹⁵ To call to those who pass by,
Who go straight on their way:
¹⁶ “ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
¹⁷ “ Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸ But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of hell.^[a]