Proverbs 9 - Contemporary English Version Interconfessional Edition

Wisdom Gives a Feast

¹ Wisdom has built her house with its seven columns.

² She has prepared the meat and set out the wine. Her feast is ready.

³ She has sent her servant women to announce her invitation from the highest hills:

⁴ “Everyone who is ignorant or foolish is invited!

⁵ All of you are welcome to my meat and wine.

⁶ If you want to live, give up your foolishness and let understanding guide your steps.”

True Wisdom

⁷ Correct a worthless bragger, and all you will get are insults and injuries.

⁸ Any bragger you correct will only hate you. But if you correct someone who has common sense, you will be loved.

⁹ If you have good sense, instruction will help you to have even better sense. And if you live right, education will help you to know even more.

¹⁰ Respect and obey the Lord! This is the beginning of wisdom. To have understanding, you must know the Holy God.

¹¹ I am Wisdom. If you follow me, you will live a long time.

¹² Good sense is good for you, but if you brag, you hurt yourself.

A Foolish Invitation

¹³ Stupidity is reckless, senseless, and foolish.

¹⁴ She sits in front of her house and on the highest hills in the town.

¹⁵ She shouts to everyone who passes by,

¹⁶ “If you are stupid, come on inside!” And to every fool she says,

¹⁷ “Stolen water tastes best, and the food you eat in secret tastes best of all.”

¹⁸ None who listen to Stupidity understand that her guests are as good as dead.