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.