Wisdom and Foolishness Call Out

1Wisdom has built her house,

She has hewn out her seven pillars;

2She has [†]slaughtered her cattle, she has mixed her wine;

She has also prepared her table;

3She has sent out her maidens, she calls

From the tops of the heights of the city:

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

To him who lacks a heart of wisdom she says,

5“Come, eat of my bread

And drink of the wine I have mixed.

6[†]Forsake your simplicity and live,

And step into the way of understanding.”

7He who disciplines a scoffer receives disgrace for himself,

And he who reproves a wicked man receives injury for himself.

8Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you,

Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

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

Make a righteous man know it and he will increase his learning.

10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11For by me your days will become many,

And years of life will be added to you.

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

And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

13The woman of [†]foolishness is boisterous,

A woman of simplicity, and does not know anything.

14She sits at the doorway of her house,

On a seat by the high places of the city,

15To call to those who pass by that way,

Who are making their paths straight:

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

And to him who lacks a heart of wisdom 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 those she called are in the depths of Sheol.