INVITATIONS OF WISDOM AND FOLLY

Passage: Proverbs 9:1-18

Key verse: 10

NIV

Invitations of Wisdom and Folly

9 Wisdom has built(A) her house;
    she has set up[a] its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;(B)
    she has also set her table.(C)
3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls(D)
    from the highest point of the city,(E)
4     “Let all who are simple(F) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(G) she says,
5     “Come,(H) eat my food
    and drink the wine I have mixed.(I)
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;(J)
    walk in the way of insight.”(K)

7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(L)
8 Do not rebuke mockers(M) or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.(N)
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.(O)

10 The fear of the Lord(P) is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One(Q) is understanding.(R)
11 For through wisdom[b] your days will be many,
    and years will be added to your life.(S)
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

13 Folly is an unruly woman;(T)
    she is simple and knows nothing.(U)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,(V)
15 calling out(W) to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,
16     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(X) she says,
17     “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious!(Y)”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.(Z)

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
  2. Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me
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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Way of Wisdom

9 (A)Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her (B)seven (C)pillars.
2 She has (D)slaughtered her beasts; she has (E)mixed her wine;
    she has also (F)set her table.
3 She has (G)sent out her young women to (H)call
    from (I)the highest places in the town,
4 (J)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    (K)To him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, (L)eat of my bread
    and (M)drink of (N)the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave (O)your simple ways,[a] and (P)live,
    (Q)and walk in the way of insight.”

7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8 (R)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    (S)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction[b] to a wise man, and he will be (T)still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will (U)increase in learning.
10 (V)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and (W)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me (X)your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
12 (Y)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

13 (Z)The woman Folly is (AA)loud;
    she is seductive[c] and (AB)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on (AC)the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are (AD)going straight on their way,
16 (AE)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 (AF)“Stolen water is sweet,
    and (AG)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know (AH)that the dead[d] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 9:6 Or Leave the company of the simple
  2. Proverbs 9:9 Hebrew lacks instruction
  3. Proverbs 9:13 Or full of simpleness
  4. Proverbs 9:18 Hebrew Rephaim
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Wisdom's invitation (1-12)

Wisdom invites us to leave our foolish ways and live. She invites those without moral direction, those inclined toward evil (1:22), to walk in the way of understanding. We must be humble to walk in this way--humble enough to accept rebukes and learn from our mistakes; humble enough to learn and grow through instructions. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

2. Folly's invitation (13-18)

Folly is a loud-mouth! Her invitation sounds like that of Wisdom (4,16). But she takes advantage of our foolishness and weakness. She says, 'It's okay to sin if you don't get caught; go ahead and indulge in sinful thoughts and sinful actions--enjoy life! Nobody knows!' But Folly is undisciplined and without knowledge (13). Her invitation is an invitation to the house of death (18).

Prayer: Lord, help me to remember who you are and to have in my heart an awesome respect for you, so that I may reject the way of folly and follow the way of wisdom.

One Word: Fear God and live