1 W isdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out and set up her seven pillars.

2 S he has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table;

She has killed her beasts, she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

3 S he has sent out her maidens, she calls From the tops of the heights of the city:

She has sent out her maids to cry from the highest places of the town:

4 “ Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says,

Whoever is simple (easily led astray and wavering), let him turn in here! As for him who lacks understanding, Wisdom says to him,

5 “ Come, eat of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed.

Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mixed.

6 “ Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.”

Leave off, simple ones and live! And walk in the way of insight and understanding.

7 H e who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.

He who rebukes a scorner heaps upon himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man gets for himself bruises.

8 D o not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9 G ive instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man (one upright and in right standing with God) and he will increase in learning.

10 T he fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.

11 F or by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.

For by me your days shall be multiplied, and the years of your life shall be increased.

12 I f you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scorn, you alone will bear it and pay the penalty.

13 T he woman of folly is boisterous, She is naive and knows nothing.

The foolish woman is noisy; she is simple and open to all forms of evil, she knows nothing whatever.

14 S he sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high places of the city,

For she sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the conspicuous places of the town,

15 C alling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight:

Calling to those who pass by, who go uprightly on their way:

16 “ Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,” And to him who lacks understanding she says,

Whoever is simple (wavering and easily led astray), let him turn in here! And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

17 “ Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

18 B ut he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

But he knows not that the shades of the dead are there, and that her invited guests are in the depths of Sheol (the lower world, Hades, the place of the dead).