Proverbs 9 – Wisdom Hath Builded Her House
Two women, wisdom and folly, each invite the simple to their table with opposite ends.
Proverbs 9 pictures wisdom, introduced in Proverbs 8, building a house with seven pillars and inviting the simple to her feast of bread and wine.
Wisedome hath built her house, and hewen out her seuen pillars.
She hath killed her vitailes, drawen her wine, and prepared her table.
She hath sent forth her maydens and cryeth vpon the highest places of the citie, saying,
Who so is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, she sayth,
Come, and eate of my meate, and drinke of the wine that I haue drawen.
Forsake your way, ye foolish, and ye shall liue: and walke in the way of vnderstanding.
He that reproueth a scorner, purchaseth to himselfe shame: and he that rebuketh the wicked, getteth himselfe a blot.
Rebuke not a scorner, least he hate thee: but rebuke a wise man, and he will loue thee.
Giue admonition to the wise, and he will be the wiser: teache a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord, and the knowledge of holy things, is vnderstanding.
For thy dayes shalbe multiplied by me, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe augmented.
If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thy selfe, and if thou be a scorner, thou alone shalt suffer.
A foolish woman is troublesome: she is ignorant, and knoweth nothing.
But she sitteth at the doore of her house on a seate in the hie places of the citie,
To call them that passe by the way, that go right on their way, saying,
Who so is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, shee sayth also,
Stollen waters are sweete, and hid bread is pleasant.
But he knoweth not, that ye dead are there, and that her ghestes are in the depth of hell.