Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom hath built her house; she hath 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 hath killed her cattle; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also set in order 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 maidens: she inviteth [her guests] upon the top of the highest places of the town.
[It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that is void of sense, she saith 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 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 simplicity, and live; and go onward on 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 that correcteth a scorner acquireth for himself abuse; and he that reproveth the wicked getteth himself a blemish.
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 Do not correct a scorner, 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 to the wise [instruction], and he will become yet wiser: impart knowledge to the righteous, and he will increase his information.
If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.
10 The commencement of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; and the knowledge of the Most Holy One 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 through me shall thy days be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased unto thee.
If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
12 If thou art become wise, thou art wise for thyself; but if thou art a scorner, thou alone wilt have to 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 woman of folly is noisy: she is simple, and knoweth not what [to do].
Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
14 And she sitteth at the door of her house, upon a chair in the high places of the town.
They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
15 To call the wayfarers who go straight forward on their paths.
and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; and as for him that is void of sense, she saith 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 of secrecy 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 the departed are there; that in the depths of the nether world are her guests. (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)
