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Wisdom’s Feast

9Wisdom has built her house,
   she has hewn her seven pillars.
² She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
   she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
   from the highest places in the town,
⁴ ‘You that are simple, turn in here!’
   To those without sense she says,
⁵ ‘Come, eat of my bread
   and drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Lay aside immaturity,^* and live,
   and walk in the way of insight.’

General Maxims

⁷ Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;
   whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.
⁸ A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you;
   the wise, when rebuked, will love you.
⁹ Give instruction^* to the wise, and they will become wiser still;
   teach the righteous and they will gain in learning.
¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
   and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹ For by me your days will be multiplied,
   and years will be added to your life.
¹² If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
   if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Folly’s Invitation and Promise

¹³ The foolish woman is loud;
   she is ignorant and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,
   on a seat at the high places of the town,
¹⁵ calling to those who pass by,
   who are going straight on their way,
¹⁶ ‘You who are simple, turn in here!’
   And to those without sense she says,
¹⁷ ‘Stolen water is sweet,
   and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’
¹⁸ But they do not know that the dead^* are there,
   that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Wise Sayings of Solomon

10The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise child makes a glad father,
   but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.
² Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
   but righteousness delivers from death.
³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
   but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
⁴ A slack hand causes poverty,
   but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵ A child who gathers in summer is prudent,
   but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame.
⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
   but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
⁷ The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
   but the name of the wicked will rot.
⁸ The wise of heart will heed commandments,
   but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
⁹ Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
   but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.
¹⁰ Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
   but the one who rebukes boldly makes peace.^*
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
   but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
   but love covers all offences.
¹³ On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,
   but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.
¹⁴ The wise lay up knowledge,
   but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near.
¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
   the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
¹⁶ The wage of the righteous leads to life,
   the gain of the wicked to sin.
¹⁷ Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
   but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray.
¹⁸ Lying lips conceal hatred,
   and whoever utters slander is a fool.
¹⁹ When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
   but the prudent are restrained in speech.
²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
   the mind of the wicked is of little worth.
²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
   but fools die for lack of sense.
²² The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
   and he adds no sorrow with it.^*
23 Doing wrong is like sport to a fool,
   but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.
²⁴ What the wicked dread will come upon them,
   but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵ When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more,
   but the righteous are established for ever.
²⁶ Like vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes,
   so are the lazy to their employers.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
   but the years of the wicked will be short.
²⁸ The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,
   but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
²⁹ The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright,
   but destruction for evildoers.
³⁰ The righteous will never be removed,
   but the wicked will not remain in the land.
³¹ The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
   but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
³² The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
   but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.