Proverbs, chapter 9

Wisdom Gives a Feast

Wisdom has built her house with its seven columnsO.

²She has prepared the meat and set out the wine.

Her feastI is ready.

³She has sent her servant women

to announce her invitation from the highest hills:

⁴“Everyone who is ignorant or foolish is invited!

⁵All of you are welcome to my meat and wine.

⁶If you want to live, give up your foolishnessI

and let understanding guide your steps.”

True Wisdom

⁷Correct a worthless bragger,

and all you will get are insults and injuries.

⁸Any bragger you correct will only hate you.

But if you correct someone who has common sense,

you will be loved.

⁹If you have good sense,

instruction will help you to have even better sense.

And if you live rightI,

education will help you to know even more.

¹⁰Respect and obey the LordI!

This is the beginning of wisdom.*

To have understanding, you must know the Holy GodI.

¹¹I am Wisdom.

If you follow me, you will live a long time.

¹²Good sense is good for you,

but if you brag, you hurt yourself.

A Foolish Invitation

¹³Stupidity* is reckless, senseless, and foolish.

¹⁴She sits in front of her house

and on the highest hills in the town.

¹⁵She shouts to everyone who passes by,

¹⁶“If you are stupid, come on inside!”

And to every fool she says,

¹⁷“Stolen water tastes best,

and the food you eat in secret tastes best of all.”

¹⁸None who listen to Stupidity understand

that her guests are as good as deadI.