Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her pillars—seven.
Wisdom has built her house; she has prepared its seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her slaughter, She has mingled her wine, Indeed, she has arranged her table.
She has slaughtered her animals for meat; she has mixed her wine; and she has set her table.
3 She has sent forth her girls, She cries on the tops of the high places of the city:
She has sent out her servant girls with invitations. She calls out from the highest places of the town,
4 “Who [is] simple? Let him turn aside here.” Whoever lacks heart: she has said to him,
“Everybody who needs to learn, come and see me!” To people who don't have any sense she says,
5 “Come, eat of my bread, And drink of the wine I have mingled.
“Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake the simple and live, And be blessed in the way of understanding.”
Leave your foolish ways and you will live; follow the path that makes sense.”
7 The instructor of a scorner Is receiving for it—shame, And a reprover of the wicked—his blemish.
If you correct a mocker all you get are insults; if you argue with the wicked all you get is abuse.
8 Do not reprove a scorner, lest he hate you, Give reproof to the wise, and he loves you.
So don't argue with mockers or they'll only hate you; argue with the wise and they'll love you.
9 Give to the wise, and he is wiser still, Make known to the righteous, And he increases learning.
Educate the wise and they'll become even wiser; teach those who live right and they will increase their learning.
10 The commencement of wisdom [is] the fear of YHWH, And a knowledge of the Holy Ones [is] understanding.
Honoring the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; knowledge of the Holy One brings insight.
11 For by me your days multiply, And years of life are added to you.
Through wisdom you'll have many more days, increasing the years of your life.
12 If you have been wise, you have been wise for yourself, And you have scorned—you bear [it] alone.
If you are wise, you are the one to profit from it; if you scoff, you alone will have to suffer the consequences.
13 A foolish woman [is] noisy, Simple, and has not known what.
Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant woman who doesn't know anything.
14 And she has sat at the opening of her house, On a throne—the high places of the city,
She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the town,
15 To call to those passing by the way, Who are going straight [on] their paths.
calling out to those passing by, going about their business,
16 “Who [is] simple? Let him turn aside here.” And whoever lacks heart—she said to him,
“Everybody who needs to learn, come and see me!” To people who don't have any sense she says,
17 “Stolen waters are sweet, And hidden bread is pleasant.”
“Stolen water is sweet, and food eaten in secret tastes good!”
