Condemnation (vv. 13-18). The chapter closes with a quick glimpse of the prostitute (Folly) as she calls to the same simple ones and invites them to her house. But if they accept her invitation, they’ll be attending a funeral and not a feast–and it will be their own funeral!

In 5:15-18, Solomon compared the joys of married love to drinking pure water from a refreshing fountain, but Folly (the adulteress) offers stolen water from somebody else’s fountain. God ordained marriage to be a “fence” around the fountain so that nobody will pollute it. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Ex. 20:14) has never been removed from God’s law.

When it comes to possessing eternal life and living so as to please God, it’s an either/or situation. Either we accept the invitation or we reject it; either we obey His wisdom or we reject it. Those who claim to be neutral are rejecting His Word as much as those who turn away from it completely. “He that is not with me is against me,” said Jesus (Matt. 12:30).

What will it be in your life, the feast or the funeral?

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion

1. What noises in our world distract our attention from God?
2. If you were comparing “wisdom” and “folly” to two modern women, how would they each be dressed?
3. One of the voices that speaks in Proverbs is the voice of instruction. Who has been a voice of instruction in your life?
4. Another voice that speaks in Proverbs is the voice of temptation. How would you describe the sound of that voice?
5. What kinds of wealth do we receive from wisdom? Give some examples from the lives of real people.
6. In what ways does hearing God’s truth always demand that we make a choice?
7. Scorners think they know everything (21:24) and laugh at the things that are really important.” Give some examples of scorners from film, television, or elsewhere in our culture.
8. Why do you suppose scorners are often seen as cool and fashionable?
9. What would be the difference between someone who rejects God’s truth out of scorn and someone who rejects God’s truth out of foolishness?
10. What makes it difficult to follow the voice of wisdom even when we know it is the right thing to do?
11. What is the voice of wisdom calling you to do?