1. Wisdom hath built her (a) house, she hath hewn out her (b) seven pillars:
(a) Christ has prepared him a Church.
(b) That is, many chief supports and principal parts of his Church, as were the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, pastors and teachers.
2. She hath killed her beasts; she hath mixed her wine; she hath also (c) furnished her table.
(c) He compares wisdom with great princes who keep open house for all who come.
3. She hath sent forth her (d) maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
(d) Meaning, true preachers, who are not infected with man's wisdom.
4. Whoever is (e) simple, let him turn in here: as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him,
(e) He who knows his own ignorance, and is void of malice.
5. Come, eat of my (f) bread, and drink of the wine which I have mixed.
(f) By meat and drink is meant the word of God, and the ministration of the sacraments, by which God nourishes his servants in his house which is the Church.
6. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
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7. He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a (g) blot.
(g) For the wicked will contemn him and labour to defame him.
8. Reprove not a (h) scorner, lest he shall hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
(h) Meaning them who are incorrigible, which Christ calls dogs and swine: or he speaks this in comparison, not that the wicked should not be rebuked, but he shows their malice, and the small hope of the profit.
9. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
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10. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy One is (i) understanding.
(i) He shows what true understanding is, to know the will of God in his word which is meant by holy things.
11. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
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12. If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for (k) thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
(k) You will have the chief profit and convenience of it.
13. A (l) foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
(l) By the foolish woman, some understand the wicked preachers, who counterfeit the word of God: as appears in Proverbs 9:16 which were the words of the true preachers as in Proverbs 9:4 but their doctrine is as stolen waters: meaning that they are men's traditions, which are more pleasant to the flesh than the word of God, and therefore they themselves boast of it.
14. For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
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15. To call passengers who go right on their ways
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16. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
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17. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
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18. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
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