< Proverbs 9 >

1 Wisdom hath builded her house; She hath hewn out her seven pillars.
Wisdom has built her own house; she has carved seven pillars out of rocks.
2 She hath killed her fatlings; She hath mingled her wine; Yea, she hath furnished her table.
She has slaughtered her animals; she has mixed her wine; and she has set her table.
3 She hath sent forth her maidens; She crieth aloud upon the highest places of the city:
She has sent out her maids; she calls out from the highest points of the city,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in hither!” To him that is void of understanding she saith,
“Who is naive? Let him turn aside here!” To the one lacking good sense she speaks.
5 “Come, eat of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled!
“Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake folly, and live! And go forward in the way of understanding!
Leave your naive actions and live; walk in the path of understanding.
7 “He who correcteth a scoffer Bringeth shame upon himself; And he who rebuketh the wicked Bringeth upon himself a stain.
Whoever disciplines a mocker receives abuse, and whoever rebukes a wicked person receives insults.
8 Rebuke not a scoffer, lest he hate thee; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Do not reprove a mocker, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; Teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
Give to a wise person, and he will become even wiser; teach a righteous person, and he will add to his learning.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Most Holy is understanding.
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 Yea, through me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.
For through me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.
12 If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; And if thou art a scoffer, thou alone must bear it.”
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you mock, you will carry it by yourself.”
13 The foolish woman is clamorous; She is very simple, and careth for nothing.
The woman of foolishness is ignorant; she is untaught and knows nothing.
14 She sitteth at the door of her house, Upon a seat in the high places of the city,
She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the highest places of the town.
15 To call aloud to those that pass by, Who go straight forward in their ways,
She is calling out to those who pass by in the streets, to people walking straight on their way.
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in hither!” And to him that is void of understanding she saith,
“Let anyone who is naive turn aside here,” she says to those who have no sense.
17 “Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread of secrecy is delicious.”
18 But he considereth not that the dead are there, That in the vales of the under-world are her guests. (Sheol h7585)
But he does not know that the dead are there, that her invited guests are in the depths of Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

< Proverbs 9 >