Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars.
Wisdom has built her house. She has hewn out her seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
She has killed her beasts. She has mingled her wine. She has also furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.
She has sent forth her maidens. She cries out upon the highest places of the city:
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.
He who is simple, let him turn in here. As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.
Come, eat ye of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6 Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”
Forsake ye simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of understanding.
7 He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.
He who corrects a scoffer gets himself reviling. And he who reproves a wicked man gets himself a bruise.
8 Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee. Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
Give opportunity to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.
11 For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
12 If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage; but if you scoff, you alone will bear the consequences.
If thou are wise, thou are wise for thyself. And if thou scoff, thou alone shall bear it.
13 The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing.
The foolish woman is clamorous, simple, and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city,
And she sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 calling out to those who pass by, who make their paths straight.
to call to those who pass by, who go right on their ways:
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.
He who is simple, let him turn in here. And as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”
Stolen waters are sweet, and bread in secret is pleasant.
