Proverbs 9

²Wisdom has prepared a beautiful feast — the food is ready, the table is set, everything is waiting for her guests!

³Wisdom has sent her helpers out through the city — and she herself calls from the highest point so everyone can hear her invitation!

⁴Wisdom calls: 'If you are not sure about things — if you feel like you do not understand — come in! Come to me!' She especially welcomes those who feel unsure.

⁵Wisdom says: 'Come and eat my bread! Drink what I have prepared for you!' Her table is open and there is plenty for everyone.

⁶Leave behind foolishness and truly live! Walk on the road of understanding and watch your life become wonderful.

⁷When you try to correct someone who mocks and sneers, you just get hurt in return. Some people are not ready to hear correction.

⁸Do not correct someone who mocks — they will only hate you for it. But correct a wise person and they will love you for helping them!

⁹Teach a wise person and they get even wiser! Teach someone who is fair and right, and they keep on learning and growing!

¹⁰The best way to start being wise is to love and respect God. Knowing God is the beginning of understanding everything!

¹¹Wisdom says: 'When you follow me, your days are multiplied! Living wisely means living a fuller and longer life!'

¹²If you are wise, you benefit yourself most of all! But if you mock and scorn wisdom, you are the one who will feel the consequence.

¹³Lady Folly is loud and noisy — she makes a big fuss, but she does not really know anything. She only pretends to have something good to offer.

¹⁴Lady Folly sits right at her front door — or up on the high places where everyone can see her. She is always there, always calling.

¹⁵Folly calls out to people who are already walking the right path — she tries to pull them away from where they were headed!

¹⁶Folly also calls to the simple and those who feel unsure — she uses the same words as wisdom! But her invitation leads somewhere very different.

¹⁷Folly says: 'Stolen water tastes sweeter! Secret snacks are the best!' She makes wrong things sound exciting and delicious.

¹⁸But what folly does not tell you is where her house really leads. It leads to darkness and destruction — far away from God and life.