Proverbs 9

1 Wisdom built herself a house and supported it with seven pillars.

2 She slaughtered her animals, mixed her wine in a mixing bowl, and prepared her table.

3 She sent out her slaves, summoning people with a loud proclamation over the mixing bowl:

4 To the foolish she called,

“Turn aside to me.”

To those lacking good sense she said,

5 “Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I mixed for you.

6 Leave foolishness, and you will live. Seek discernment so that you may have life, and direct understanding by knowledge.”

7 Whoever instructs evil people gains dishonor for himself, and whoever corrects an ungodly person brings blame upon himself.

8 Do not correct evil people, or they will hate you. Correct a wise person, and he will love you.

9 Give an opportunity to a wise person, and he will become wiser. Teach a righteous person, and he will receive still more.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of the holy is understanding. Knowing the law belongs to a sound mind.

11 In this way you will live a long time, and years will be added to your life.

12 My son, if you become wise for yourself, you will also be wise for your neighbors; but if you turn evil, you alone will bear the evil. Whoever leans on lies will shepherd winds and chase flying birds. He abandoned the roads of his vineyard and wandered from the tracks of his own farmland. He travels through a waterless wilderness and a land assigned to drought, and gathers barrenness with his hands.

13 A foolish and bold woman who knows no shame becomes needy for a morsel of bread.

14 She sits at the doors of her house on a seat plainly visible in the streets,

15 calling to those passing by and to those going straight on their roads:

16 She calls to the most foolish among them:

“Turn aside to me.”

To those lacking discernment she urges,

17 “Take and enjoy secret bread and the sweet water of theft.”

18 But he does not know that earthborn giants perish beside her and that he encounters a trap of Hades. Leap away; do not remain in that place or fix your eye on her. In this way you will cross foreign water and pass over a foreign river. Keep away from foreign water, and do not drink from a foreign spring, so that you may live a long time and years may be added to your life.