PROVERBS 9 [†]  v Wisdom has built her house;

she has hewn her  w seven  x pillars.

2[^] She has  y slaughtered her beasts; she has  z mixed her wine;

she has also  a set her table.

3 She has  b sent out her young women to  c call

from  d the highest places in the town,

4[†]  e “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

 f To him who lacks sense she says,

5 “Come,  g eat of my bread

and  h drink of  z the wine I have mixed.

6 Leave  i your simple ways, [1] and  j live,

 k and walk in the way of insight.”

7[†] Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,

and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

8  l Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

 m reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9 Give instruction [2] to a wise man, and he will be  n still wiser;

teach a righteous man, and he will  o increase in learning.

10[†]  p The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

and  q the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

11 For by me  r your days will be multiplied,

and years will be added to your life.

12[†]  s If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

13[†]  t The woman Folly is  u loud;

she is seductive [3] and  v knows nothing.

14 She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on  w the highest places of the town,

15 calling to those who pass by,

who are  x going straight on their way,

16  y “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks sense she says,

17  z “Stolen water is sweet,

and  a bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

18[^][†] But he does not know  b that the dead [4] are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.