The Consequences of Accepting Wisdom or Folly67
9:1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.1
9:2 She has prepared her meat,2
she has mixed her wine;
she also has arranged her table.3
9:3 She has sent out her young maidens; she calls out
upon the highest places4
of the city.
9:4 “Who is simple, let him turn in here,”
she says5
to those6
who lack understanding.7
9:5 “Come, eat8
some of my food,
and drink some of the wine I have mixed.9
9:6 Abandon your foolish ways,10
so that you may live;11
and proceed12
in the way of understanding.”
9:7 Whoever corrects13
a mocker is asking for14
insult;15
whoever reproves a wicked person receives16
abuse.
9:8 Do not reprove17
a mocker or18
he will hate you;
reprove a wise person and he will love you.
9:9 Give instruction19
to a wise person,20
and he will become wiser still;
teach21
a righteous person and he will add to his22
learning.
9:10 The beginning23
of wisdom is the fear of the LORD,
and knowledge of the Holy One24
is understanding.
9:11 For because25
of me your days will be many,
and years will be added26
to your life.
9:12 If you are wise, you are wise to your own
advantage;27
and if you are a mocker,28
you alone must29
bear it.30
9:13 The woman Folly31
is boisterous,32
simple,33
and she does not know34
anything.35
9:14 So she sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
9:15 calling out36
to those who are passing by in the way,37
who go straight38
on their way.
9:16 “Who is simple, let him turn in here,”
she says to those who lack understanding.39
9:17 “Stolen waters40
are sweet,
and food obtained in secret41
is pleasant!”
9:18 But they do not know42
that the dead43
are there,
that her guests are in the depths of the grave.44