Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom, hath builded her house, hath hewn out her seven pillars;
Wisdom has built her house; she has prepared its seven pillars.
2 hath slaughtered her beasts, hath mingled her wine, hath even set in order her table;
She has slaughtered her animals for meat; she has mixed her wine; and she has set her table.
3 hath sent forth her maidens, She crieth aloud, upon the tops of the heights of the city:
She has sent out her servant girls with invitations. She calls out from the highest places of the town,
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither, as for him that lacketh sense, she saith to him—
“Everybody who needs to learn, come and see me!” To people who don't have any sense she says,
5 Come, feed on my food, and drink of the wine I have mingled;
“Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake the simple ones, and live, and advance in the way of understanding.
Leave your foolish ways and you will live; follow the path that makes sense.”
7 He that rebuketh a scoffer, getteth to himself contempt, and, he that reproveth a lawless man, [getteth to himself] his shame.
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 scoffer, lest he hate thee, Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
So don't argue with mockers or they'll only hate you; argue with the wise and they'll love you.
9 Give to a wise man, and he will be wiser still, Inform a righteous man, and he will increase learning.
Educate the wise and they'll become even wiser; teach those who live right and they will increase their learning.
10 The beginning of wisdom, is the reverence of Yahweh, and, the knowledge of the Holy, is understanding;
Honoring the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; knowledge of the Holy One brings insight.
11 For, by me, shall be multiplied—thy days, and there be added to thee—the years of life.
Through wisdom you'll have many more days, increasing the years of your life.
12 If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself, but, if thou scoff, alone, shalt thou bear it.
If you are wise, you are the one to profit from it; if you scoff, you alone will have to suffer the consequences.
13 The woman Stupidity, is boisterous, so simple that she knoweth not what she would do;
Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant woman who doesn't know anything.
14 So she sitteth at the entrance of her house, upon a seat, in the heights of the city;
She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the town,
15 To invite them who pass by the way, who are going straight on in their paths:
calling out to those passing by, going about their business,
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn aside hither, and, as for him that lacketh sense, she saith to him:
“Everybody who needs to learn, come and see me!” To people who don't have any sense she says,
17 Stolen waters, will be sweet, —and a secret meal, will be pleasant;
“Stolen water is sweet, and food eaten in secret tastes good!”
