1 Wisedome hath builded her house: she hath hewen out her seuen pillars.
2 She hath killed her beastes; she hath mingled her wine: she hath also furnished her table.
3 She hath sent forth her maidens; she cryeth vpon the highest places of the citie.
4 Who so is simple, let him turne in hither: as for him that wanteth vnderstanding, she sayth to him:
5 Come, eate of my bread, and drinke of the wine, which I haue mingled.
6 Forsake the foolish, and liue; and goe in the way of vnderstanding.
7 He that reproueth a scorner, getteth to himselfe shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himselfe a blot.
8 Reproue not a scorner, lest hee hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and hee will loue thee.
9 Giue instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a iust man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome: and the knowledge of the holy is vnderstanding.
11 For by me thy dayes shall be multiplied: and the yeeres of thy life shalbe increased.
12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thy selfe: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt beare it.
13 ¶ A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, & knoweth nothing.
14 For she sitteth at the doore of her house on a seate, in the high places of the Citie:
15 To call passengers who go right on their wayes:
16 Who so is simple, let him turne in hither: and as for him that wanteth vnderstanding, she saith to him;
17 Stollen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
18 But hee knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
The invitations of Wisdom. (1-12) The invitations of folly. (13-18)1-12 Christ has prepared ordinances to which his people are admitted, and by which nourishment is given here to those that believe in him, as well as mansions in heaven hereafter. The ministers of the gospel go forth to invite the guests. The call is general, and shuts out none that do not shut out themselves. Our Saviour came, not to call the righteous, but sinners; not the wise in their own eyes, who say they see. We must keep from the company and foolish pleasures of the ungodly, or we never can enjoy the pleasures of a holy life. It is vain to seek the company of wicked men in the hope of doing them good; we are far more likely to be corrupted by them. It is not enough to forsake the foolish, we must join those that walk in wisdom. There is no true wisdom but in the way of religion, no true life but in the end of that way. Here is the happiness of those that embrace it. A man cannot be profitable to God; it is for our own good. Observe the shame and ruin of those who slight it. God is not the Author of sin: and Satan can only tempt, he cannot force. Thou shalt bear the loss of that which thou scornest: it will add to thy condemnation.
13-18 How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into sin! Carnal, sensual pleasure, stupifies conscience, and puts out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has no solid reason to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and pressing. We need to seek and pray for true wisdom, for Satan has many ways to withdraw our souls from Christ. Not only worldly lusts and abandoned seducers prove fatal to the souls of men; but false teachers, with doctrines that flatter pride and give liberty to lusts, destroy thousands. They especially draw off such as have received only partial serious impressions. The depths of Satan are depths of hell; and sin, without remorse, is ruin, ruin without remedy. Solomon shows the hook; those that believe him, will not meddle with the bait. Behold the wretched, empty, unsatisfying, deceitful, and stolen pleasure sin proposes; and may our souls be so desirous of the everlasting enjoyment of Christ, that on earth we may live to him, daily, by faith, and ere long be with him in glory.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.