Proverbs 9-10

English Standard Version

The Way of Wisdom

9 ^(A)Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her ^(B)seven ^(C)pillars.
²She has ^(D)slaughtered her beasts; she has ^(E)mixed her wine;
    she has also ^(F)set her table.
³She has ^(G)sent out her young women to ^(H)call
    from ^(I)the highest places in the town,
⁴^(J)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    ^(K)To him who lacks sense she says,
⁵“Come, ^(L)eat of my bread
    and ^(M)drink of ^(N)the wine I have mixed.
⁶Leave ^(O)your simple ways,^[a] and ^(P)live,
    ^(Q)and walk in the way of insight.”

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

The Way of Folly

¹³^(Z)The woman Folly is ^(AA)loud;
    she is seductive^[c] and ^(AB)knows nothing.
¹⁴She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on ^(AC)the highest places of the town,
¹⁵calling to those who pass by,
    who are ^(AD)going straight on their way,
¹⁶^(AE)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
¹⁷^(AF)“Stolen water is sweet,
    and ^(AG)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸But he does not know ^(AH)that the dead^[d] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

The Proverbs of Solomon

10 ^(AI)The proverbs of Solomon.

^(AJ)A wise son makes a glad father,
    ^(AK)but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
²^(AL)Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    ^(AM)but righteousness delivers from death.
³^(AN)The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    ^(AO)but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
⁴A slack hand ^(AP)causes poverty,
    ^(AQ)but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵He who ^(AR)gathers in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps in harvest is ^(AS)a son who brings shame.
⁶Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but ^(AT)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^[e]
⁷^(AU)The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but ^(AV)the name of the wicked will rot.
⁸^(AW)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
⁹^(AX)Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but he who makes his ways crooked ^(AY)will be found out.
¹⁰Whoever ^(AZ)winks the eye causes trouble,
    and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
¹¹^(BA)The mouth of the righteous is ^(BB)a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked ^(BC)conceals violence.
¹²Hatred stirs up strife,
    but ^(BD)love covers all offenses.
¹³On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but ^(BE)a rod is for the back of him who ^(BF)lacks sense.
¹⁴The wise ^(BG)lay up knowledge,
    but ^(BH)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
¹⁵^(BI)A rich man's wealth is his strong city;
    the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
¹⁶The wage of the righteous leads ^(BJ)to life,
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
¹⁷Whoever heeds instruction is on ^(BK)the path to life,
    but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
¹⁸The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.
¹⁹^(BL)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    ^(BM)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
²⁰The tongue of the righteous is ^(BN)choice silver;
    the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
²¹The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for ^(BO)lack of sense.
²²^(BP)The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.^[f]
²³Doing wrong is ^(BQ)like a joke to a fool,
    but ^(BR)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
²⁴^(BS)What the wicked dreads ^(BT)will come upon him,
    but ^(BU)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵When ^(BV)the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
    but ^(BW)the righteous is established forever.
²⁶Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.
²⁷^(BX)The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
    ^(BY)but the years of the wicked will be short.
²⁸^(BZ)The hope of the righteous brings joy,
    ^(CA)but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
²⁹^(CB)The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
    but destruction to evildoers.
³⁰^(CC)The righteous will never be removed,
    but ^(CD)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
³¹^(CE)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
³²The lips of the righteous ^(CF)know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked, ^(CG)what is perverse.