• Wisdom’s Invitation

  • 1 Wisdom has built her house, She has carved out her seven pillars;
  • 2 She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table;
  • 3 She has sent out her attendants, she calls out From the tops of the heights of the city:
  • 4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says,
  • 5 “Come, eat of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed.
  • 6 “Abandon your foolishness and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.”
  • 7 One who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And one who rebukes a wicked person gets insults for himself.
  • 8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you; Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
  • 9 Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser; Teach a righteous person and he will increase his insight.
  • 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 alone will suffer from it.
  • 13 A woman of foolishness is boisterous, She has a lack of understanding and knows nothing.
  • 14 She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high places of the city,
  • 15 Calling to those who pass by, Who are going straight on their paths:
  • 16 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,” And to him who lacks understanding she says,
  • 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 Sheol.