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 her house; she hath hewn out her 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 killed her cattle; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also set in order 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 forth her maidens: she inviteth [her guests] upon the top of the highest places of the town.
4 “You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that is void of sense, she saith to him,
5 “Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!
“Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
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 simplicity, and live; and go onward on the way of understanding.
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 correcteth a scorner acquireth for himself abuse; and he that reproveth the wicked getteth himself a blemish.
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.
Do not correct a scorner, lest he hate thee: reprove 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 to the wise [instruction], and he will become yet wiser: impart knowledge to the righteous, and he will increase his information.
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 commencement of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; and the knowledge of the Most Holy One is understanding.
11 If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
For through me shall thy days be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased unto 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 art become wise, thou art wise for thyself; but if thou art a scorner, thou alone wilt have to bear it.”
13 Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
The woman of folly is noisy: she is simple, and knoweth not what [to do].
14 They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
And she sitteth at the door of her house, upon a chair in the high places of the town.
15 and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
To call the wayfarers who go straight forward on their paths.
16 “You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; and as for him that is void of sense, she saith to him,
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 sweet, and bread of secrecy is 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)
But he knoweth not that the departed are there; that in the depths of the nether world are her guests. (Sheol h7585)
