Proverbs 9
1 [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],
Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars.
2 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.
She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table.
3 [It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,
She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city:
4 “You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,
Whosoever is a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she said:
5 “Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!
Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you.
6 (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).”
Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence.
7 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.
He that teacheth a scorner, doth an injury to himself: and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot.
8 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.
Rebuke not a scorner lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.
Give an occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added to him. Teach a just man, and he shall make haste to receive it.
10 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].
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is prudence.
11 If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
For by me shall thy days be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.
12 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.
If thou be wise, thou shalt be so to thyself: and if a scorner, thou alone shalt bear the evil.
13 Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
A foolish woman and clamorous, and full of allurements, and knowing nothing at all,
14 They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
Sat at the door of her house, upon a seat, in a high place of the city,
15 and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
To call them that pass by the way, and go on their journey:
16 “You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,
He that is a little one, let him turn to me. And to the fool she said:
17 “[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].”
Stolen waters are sweeter, and hid den bread is more pleasant.
18 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)
And he did not know that giants are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell. (Sheol h7585)
