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English Standard Version

The Way of Wisdom

1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. (Mt 16:18; Eph 2:20; 1Ti 3:15; 1Pe 2:5; Re 1:4)

Mt 16:18Eph 2:201Ti 3:151Pe 2:5Re 1:4

2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. (Ps 23:5; Pr 23:30; So 8:2; Mt 22:4; Lu 14:17)

Ps 23:5Pr 23:30So 8:2Mt 22:4Lu 14:17

3 She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, (Ps 68:11; Pr 8:1; Pr 8:2; Pr 9:14; Mt 10:27; Mt 22:3; Mt 23:34)

Ps 68:11Pr 8:1Pr 8:2Pr 9:14Mt 10:27Mt 22:3Mt 23:34

4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says, (Pr 6:32; Pr 9:16; Mt 11:25; 1Co 1:26)

Pr 6:32Pr 9:16Mt 11:251Co 1:26

5 “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. (Pr 9:2; So 5:1; Isa 55:1; Joh 6:27; Joh 7:37)

Pr 9:2So 5:1Isa 55:1Joh 6:27Joh 7:37

6 Leave your simple ways,^[1] and live, and walk in the way of insight.” (Pr 1:4; Pr 9:11; Pr 23:19) 7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. 8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. (Ps 141:5; Mt 7:6) 9 Give instruction^[2] to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. (Pr 1:5; Mt 13:12) 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Pr 1:7; Pr 30:3) 11 For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. (Pr 3:2; Pr 10:27) 12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it. (Job 22:2; 1Co 3:8; Ga 6:5)

The Way of Folly

13 The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive^[3] and knows nothing. (Pr 5:6; Pr 7:7; Pr 7:11) 14 She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, (Pr 9:3) 15 calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, (Pr 9:6) 16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” And to him who lacks sense she says, (Pr 9:4) 17 “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” (Pr 5:15; Pr 20:17; Pr 30:20) 18 But he does not know that the dead^[4] are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. (Pr 7:27)

New International Version

Invitations of wisdom and folly

1 Wisdom has built her house; she has set up^[1] its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, 4 ‘Let all who are simple come to my house!’ To those who have no sense she says, 5 ‘Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.’ 7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. 8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. 9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through wisdom^[2] your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. 13 Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way, 16 ‘Let all who are simple come to my house!’ To those who have no sense she says, 17 ‘Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!’ 18 But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

King James Version

1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: 2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. 3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, 4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. 6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. 8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9 Give instruction to a wise man , and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man , and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it . 13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. 14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 15 To call passengers who go right on their ways: 16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

New International Reader’s Version

Wisdom and foolishness call out

1 Wisdom has built her house. She has set up its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine. She has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her servants. She calls out from the highest point of the city. 4 She says, ‘Let all who are childish come to my house!’ She speaks to those who have no sense. She says, 5 ‘Come and eat my food. Drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your childish ways and you will live. Walk in the way of understanding.’ 7 When you correct someone who makes fun of others, you might be laughed at. When you warn a sinner, you might get hurt. 8 Don’t warn those who make fun of others, or they will hate you. Warn those who are wise, and they will love you. 9 Teach a wise person, and they will become even wiser. Teach a person who does right, and they will learn even more. 10 If you want to become wise, you must begin by respecting the LORD. To know the Holy One is to gain understanding. 11 Through wisdom, you will live a long time. Years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you. If you make fun of others, you alone will suffer. 13 The woman called Foolishness is wild. She is childish and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house. She sits at the highest point of the city. 15 She calls out to those who pass by. She calls out to those who go straight on their way. She says, 16 ‘Let all who are childish come to my house!’ She speaks to those who have no sense. 17 She says, ‘Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret tastes good!’ 18 But they don’t know that dead people are there. They don’t know that her guests are deep in the place of the dead.