Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom has built her house. She has hewn out her seven pillars.
[It is as though] wisdom [is a woman who] has built a [big] house for herself, and has set up seven columns [to support the roof],
2 She has killed her beasts. She has mingled her wine. She has also furnished her table.
and has slaughtered an animal [and cooked the meat], and has mixed [nice spices] in the wine, and has put [the food] on the table.
3 She has sent forth her maidens. She cries out upon the highest places of the city:
[It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,
4 He who is simple, let him turn in here. As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
“You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,
5 Come, eat ye of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
“Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!
6 Forsake ye simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of understanding.
(Leave/Go away from) [other] foolish people, and [if you do that, you will continue to] live. Walk on the road that will enable you to (have knowledge/know what is true and what is not true).”
7 He who corrects a scoffer gets himself reviling. And he who reproves a wicked man gets himself a bruise.
If you rebuke someone who will not allow others to correct him, he will insult you. If you reprove/scold an evil man, he will hurt you.
8 Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee. Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
Do not rebuke someone who will not allow others to (correct him/tell him what he has done is wrong), because he will hate you for doing that. [But] if you rebuke a wise person, he will respect you.
9 Give opportunity to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.
10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.
If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh, and if you know God, the Holy One, you will understand [which teachings are wise/true].
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
12 If thou are wise, thou are wise for thyself. And if thou scoff, thou alone shall bear it.
If you are wise, you are the one who will benefit from it; if you ridicule [becoming wise], you are the one who will suffer.
13 The foolish woman is clamorous, simple, and knows nothing.
Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
14 And she sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
15 to call to those who pass by, who go right on their ways:
and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
16 He who is simple, let him turn in here. And as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
“You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread in secret is pleasant.
“[Just as] water which you have stolen tastes very good and food that you eat by yourself tastes the best, [if you have sex secretly with someone to whom you are not married, you will enjoy it very much].”
