חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה

Wisdom has built her house, and in order to establish it firmly she has hewed her seven pillars. Seven is a symbolic number that represents sanctity.

טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ

Inside her home, she has prepared her meat, mixed her wine, and set her table. Everything is ready for a feast.

שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא עַל־גַּפֵּי מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת

She has sent out her young women; she will have them call out her invitation from upon, or from the edges of, the heights, the roofs or towers of the city. Wisdom’s maidens openly publicize their mistress’s feast:

מִי־פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה חֲסַר לֵב אָמְרָה לּוֹ

Whoever is a naïf, without wisdom, let him turn here; to he who lacks heart, she says to him:

לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְלַחְמִי וּשְׁתוּ בְּיַיִן מָסָכְתִּי

Come, partake of my bread, which I myself prepared, and drink of the wine that I have mixed. Come and receive from me basic, beneficial, and pleasing items that I have to offer.

עִזְבוּ פְתָאיִם וִחְיוּ וְאִשְׁרוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ בִּינָה

Forsake naïveté and live, and step on the way of understanding.

יֹסֵר לֵץ לֹקֵחַ לו קָלוֹן ומוֹכִיחַ לְרָשָׁע מוּמוֹ

This invitation is not addressed to sages, who will seek wisdom of their own accord, but it is also not for scoffers, who denigrate wisdom and mock ideas and people out of an exaggerated sense of self-confidence, whether as a joke or otherwise. For he who admonishes a scoffer takes disgrace upon himself. One who censures such a person will not receive honor, as the mocker is not interested in listening to him. And the same is true of he who rebukes the wicked for his shortcomings, as such people do not like reproof and they do not respond well to criticism. Alternatively, this last clause means: And his fate will be like someone who reproves a wicked man for his shortcomings.

אַל־תּוֹכַח לֵץ פֶּן־יִשְׂנָאֶךָּ הוֹכַח לְחָכָם וְיֶאֱהָבֶךָּ

Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you for it; by contrast, rebuke the wise, alert him to his errors, and he will love you; he will be pleased and will thank you for helping him amend his ways.

תֵּן לְחָכָם וְיֶחְכַּם־עוֹד הוֹדַע לְצַדִּיק וְיוֹסֶף לֶקַח

Give a suggestion or an idea to the wise person, and he will become wiser; inform the righteous person of what he should do, and he will add learning. It is both possible and appropriate to offer words of wisdom to wise and righteous people, as they are interested in hearing them. Although wisdom directs her invitation to all, she takes into account that not everyone wants to hear what she has to say, and that her ideas will not be beneficial to all people.

תְּחִלַּת חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה'וְדַעַת קְדֹשִׁים בִּינָה

The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, and knowledge of the holy, of God, or angels and lofty beings, is understanding. Alternatively, this means that the knowledge of holy people, the knowledge of their statements, and the adoption of their customs, is the basis of understanding.

כִּי־בִי יִרְבּוּ יָמֶיךָ וְיוֹסִיפוּ לְךָ שְׁנוֹת חַיִּים

For with me, the wisdom of the Torah, your days will be increased, and years of life will be added for you. The wisdom of the Torah is the source of strength and life.

אִם־חָכַמְתָּ חָכַמְתָּ לָּךְ וְלַצְתָּ לְבַדְּךָ תִשָּׂא

If you became wise and chose the side of wisdom, you became wise for yourself; you will be the first to reap the benefits. And likewise if you chose the other path and scoffed, you will bear it, the consequences, alone. With regard to both wisdom and scorn, the responsibility lies with you. Even if the choice does not affect your social status, it will make a difference in your life.

אֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת הֹמִיָּה פְּתַיּוּת וּבַל־יָדְעָה מָּה

Up to this point, wisdom has been described as attempting to sell her wares, perhaps without great success. Although she can bestow all manner of good upon people, give them food and drink, teach them the plain and homiletic meaning of texts, and both exoteric and esoteric knowledge, this is a highly focused and defined form of wisdom. Wisdom’s counsel is not an abstract, sophisticated, intellectual exercise; rather, it is based on the fear of God, and it includes reproof and ethics. Therefore, it is not the most popular type of advice, and indeed, wisdom’s rival is no less available to all: The woman of folly is clamorous; she is talkative and loud, appearing on every stage and communicating through all types of media. However, she exists in naïveté, and does not actually know anything. Although her claims are vague, she nevertheless tries to tempt people into buying her merchandise.

וְיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ עַל־כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת

She sits at the entrance of her house, on a chair in the heights of the city. Like wisdom, folly too seeks publicity in the open thoroughfares.

לִקְרֹא לְעֹבְרֵי־דָרֶךְ הַמְיַשְּׁרִים אֹרְחוֹתָם

Her aim is to call to the passersby who seek to straighten their paths. Folly calls out in the same manner as wisdom:

מִי־פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה וַחֲסַר־לֵב וְאָמְרָה לּוֹ

Whoever is a naïf, let him turn here; to he who lacks heart, she says her statements to him. Just like wisdom, folly addresses young, inexperienced individuals who wish to broaden their horizons. She suggests they should learn from her own experiences, which differ greatly from those of wisdom. She declares:

מַיִם־גְּנוּבִים יִמְתָּקוּ וְלֶחֶם סְתָרִים יִנְעָם

Stolen waters are sweet, their taste seems sweet because they were stolen; and clandestine bread, obtained in secret, dishonest ways, is pleasing. Sin is attractive. Folly advises a person to stray a little from the correct path in order to add spice to his boring, aimless life.

וְלֹא־יָדַע כִּי־רְפָאִים שָׁם בְּעִמְקֵי שְׁאוֹל קְרֻאֶיהָ

Here the wise person notes: And he, the naïf, does not know that the ghosts of the dead, demonic forces are found there; her, folly’s, guests are living in the depths of the grave. Like wisdom, folly has also prepared an elaborate feast for her guests. However, that, which appears to them to be a fine restaurant, is actually a deep cellar crawling with ghosts and shadows of the dead.