Proverbs 9
1 Wisedome hath built her house, and hewen out her seuen 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 hath killed her vitailes, drawen her wine, and prepared 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 hath sent forth her maydens and cryeth vpon the highest places of the citie, saying,
[It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,
4 Who so is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, she sayth,
“You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,
5 Come, and eate of my meate, and drinke of the wine that I haue drawen.
“Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!
6 Forsake your way, ye foolish, and ye shall liue: and walke in the way of vnderstanding.
(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 that reproueth a scorner, purchaseth to himselfe shame: and he that rebuketh the wicked, getteth himselfe a blot.
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 Rebuke not a scorner, least he hate thee: but rebuke a wise man, and he will loue 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 Giue admonition to the wise, and he will be the wiser: teache 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 beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord, and the knowledge of holy things, is vnderstanding.
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 thy dayes shalbe multiplied by me, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe augmented.
If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thy selfe, and if thou be a scorner, thou alone shalt suffer.
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 A foolish woman is troublesome: she is ignorant, and knoweth nothing.
Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
14 But she sitteth at the doore of her house on a seate in the hie places of the citie,
They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
15 To call them that passe by the way, that go right on their way, saying,
and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
16 Who so is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, shee sayth also,
“You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,
17 Stollen waters are sweete, and hid bread 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].”
18 But he knoweth not, that ye dead are there, and that her ghestes are in the depth of hell. (Sheol h7585)
But men who go to those women’s houses do not know that those who have gone there are now dead; they have descended down into the deepest parts of the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
