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 [summits of heights 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 [not what].
¹⁴ For she sitteth at the door of her house,
on a seat in the high places of the city,
¹⁵ To call passengers [travelers on the road]
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.