The spirit of God "brooding" over the waters (Genesis i. 1) may be identified with the Wisdom of Proverbs ix. 1, who "builds her house" as the Elohim built the universe, and "hath hewn out her seven pillars" like a true Armaîti, "Queen of the Seven." She is the Spirit of Light. And perhaps the darkness that was on the face of the abyss suggested the antagonistic personification in the next chapter (ix.) named by Professor Cheyne "Dame Folly." Wisdom, having builded her house, spread her table, mingled her wine, sends forth her maidens to invite the simple to forsake Folly, enjoy her feast, and "live." Dame Folly,--who though she has "a seat in high places" is "silly,"--clamours to every wayfarer that even the bread and water of her table, being surreptitious, are sweeter than the luxuries and wine offered by Wisdom. This appears to be the meaning of Dame Folly's somewhat obscure invitation. "'Waters stolen are sweet! Forbidden bread is pleasant!' He knoweth not her phantoms are there, That her guests are in the underworld." In this contrast between Wisdom inviting all to enter her house, drink her wine, and "live," and Folly inviting them to her "Sheol," we have nearly a quatrain of Omar Khayyám: "Since from the beginning of life to its end there is for thee only this earth, at least live as one who is on it and not under it." In the Avesta the good and wise Mother Earth (Armaîti) is opposed by a malign female "Drug" (demoness), whose paramours are described in Fargard xviii. (Vendîdâd). These two are fairly represented by Wisdom and Folly as personified in Proverbs viii. and ix. The Jahvist who in Proverbs i. 1-7 (excepting the first six verses) undertakes to edit the original and ancient editor as well as Solomon, presents the curious case of one of Dame Folly's phantoms interpreting the words of Wisdom's guests. Unable to comprehend their portraiture of Dame Folly, he imagines that the allusion must be to harlotry, admonishes his "son" that "Jahveh giveth wisdom," which among other things will "deliver thee from the strange woman," whose "house sinketh down to the underworld and her paths unto phantoms." Which recalls the pious lady who on hearing her ritualistic pastor accused by a dissenter of leanings toward the Scarlet Woman, anxiously inquired of a friend whether she had ever heard any scandal connected with their vicar's name! Our Jahvist editor seems to be one who would often say of laughter "it is mad"; and naturally could not imagine how Wisdom could "sport" before the Lord (viii. 30) unless she were in some sense mad. The sport before Jahveh could only be in mockery of some sinner's torment, like the derision ascribed to Jahveh (Psalm ii. 4); consequently our editor represents Wisdom crying abroad in the streets: "Because I have called and ye refused.... I also will laugh in the day of your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh."