1   Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it.

2   She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and set the table.

3   She has sent her servant girls to call out from the highest place in town:

4   “Come in, ignorant people!” And to the foolish man she says,

5   “Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed.

6   Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge.”

7   If you correct a conceited man, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand an evil man, you will only get hurt.

8   Never correct a conceited man; he will hate you for it. But if you correct a wise man, he will respect you.

9   Anything you say to a wise man will make him wiser. Whatever you tell a righteous man will add to his knowledge.

10   To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding. ^note

11   Wisdom will add years to your life.

12   You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.

13   Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman. ^note

14   She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of town,

15   and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business:

16   “Come in, ignorant people!” To the foolish man she says,

17   “Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better.”

18   Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.

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