Proverbs 8:25-9:18

English Standard Version

²⁵Before the mountains ^(A)had been shaped,
    ^(B)before the hills, I was brought forth,
²⁶before he had made the earth with its fields,
    or the first of the dust of the world.
²⁷When he ^(C)established the heavens, I was there;
    when he drew ^(D)a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸when he ^(E)made firm the skies above,
    when he established^[a] the fountains of the deep,
²⁹when he ^(F)assigned to the sea its ^(G)limit,
    so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out ^(H)the foundations of the earth,
³⁰    then ^(I)I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his^[b] ^(J)delight,
    rejoicing before him always,
³¹^(K)rejoicing in his ^(L)inhabited world
    and delighting in the children of man.

³²“And now, ^(M)O sons, listen to me:
    ^(N)blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³^(O)Hear instruction and be wise,
    and do not neglect it.
³⁴^(P)Blessed is the one who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
    waiting beside my doors.
³⁵For ^(Q)whoever finds me ^(R)finds life
    and ^(S)obtains favor from the Lord,
³⁶but he who fails to find me ^(T)injures himself;
    all who ^(U)hate me ^(V)love death.”

The Way of Wisdom

9 ^(W)Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her ^(X)seven ^(Y)pillars.
²She has ^(Z)slaughtered her beasts; she has ^(AA)mixed her wine;
    she has also ^(AB)set her table.
³She has ^(AC)sent out her young women to ^(AD)call
    from ^(AE)the highest places in the town,
⁴^(AF)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    ^(AG)To him who lacks sense she says,
⁵“Come, ^(AH)eat of my bread
    and ^(AI)drink of ^(AJ)the wine I have mixed.
⁶Leave ^(AK)your simple ways,^[c] and ^(AL)live,
    ^(AM)and walk in the way of insight.”

⁷Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
⁸^(AN)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    ^(AO)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹Give instruction^[d] to a wise man, and he will be ^(AP)still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will ^(AQ)increase in learning.
¹⁰^(AR)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and ^(AS)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹For by me ^(AT)your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
¹²^(AU)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

¹³^(AV)The woman Folly is ^(AW)loud;
    she is seductive^[e] and ^(AX)knows nothing.
¹⁴She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on ^(AY)the highest places of the town,
¹⁵calling to those who pass by,
    who are ^(AZ)going straight on their way,
¹⁶^(BA)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
¹⁷^(BB)“Stolen water is sweet,
    and ^(BC)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸But he does not know ^(BD)that the dead^[f] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.