The Way of Wisdom

Wisdom has prepared her house and feast and sends out her servants to invite the simple to come in, eat, drink, and leave behind folly. Her call is public, generous, and life-giving, but it requires a real break with the old way.

W¹isdom has built her house; ²She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; ³She has sent out her maidservants; ⁴“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” ⁵“Come, eat my bread ⁶Leave your folly behind, and you will live;

The mocker rejects correction and returns hatred, while the wise receive reproof and grow wiser still. The section culminates in declaring that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and that each person's response to wisdom finally benefits or harms that person most directly.

⁷He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; ⁸Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; ⁹Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, ¹¹For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, ¹²If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage;