Proverbs 9

¹Wisdom hath built herself an house, she hath cut out seven pillars.

²She hath immolated her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table.

³She hath sent her hand-maids to call to the tower, and to the walls of the city:

⁴If any be a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she spake:

⁵Come, eat ye my bread, & drink the wine which I have mingled for you.

⁶Leave infancy, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence.

⁷He that teacheth a scorner doth injury to himself; and he that rebuketh the impious, purchaseth a blot to himself.

⁸Rebuke not the scorner lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

⁹Give occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added to him. Teach the just, and he shall make haste to take it.

¹⁰The beginning of wisdom, the fear of our Lord: and the knowledge of the holy, prudence.

¹¹For by me shall thy days be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

¹²If thou be wise, to thyself thou shalt be: and if a scorner, thou alone shalt bear the evil.

¹³A foolish woman and clamorous, and full of allurements, and knowing nothing at all,

¹⁴sat in the doors of her house upon a seat in a high place of the city,

¹⁵to call them that pass by the way, and go on their journey:

¹⁶he that is a little one, let him turn to me. And to the fool she spake:

¹⁷Stolen waters are sweeter, and hidden bread more pleasant.

¹⁸And he was ignorant that giants are there, and her guests in the depths of hell.