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 builded her house, 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.
hath slaughtered her beasts, hath mingled her wine, hath even 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,
hath sent forth her maidens, She crieth aloud, upon the tops of the heights 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,
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither, as for him that lacketh 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, feed on my food, and drink of the wine 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 the simple ones, and live, and advance in 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 rebuketh a scoffer, getteth to himself contempt, and, he that reproveth a lawless man, [getteth to himself] his shame.
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 reprove a scoffer, 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 a wise man, and he will be wiser still, Inform a righteous man, and he will increase learning.
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 beginning of wisdom, is the reverence of Yahweh, and, the knowledge of the Holy, is understanding;
11 If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
For, by me, shall be multiplied—thy days, and there be added to thee—the years of life.
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 wise, thou art wise for thyself, but, if thou scoff, alone, shalt thou bear it.
13 Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
The woman Stupidity, is boisterous, so simple that she knoweth not what she would do;
14 They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
So she sitteth at the entrance of her house, upon a seat, in the heights 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 invite them who pass by the way, who are going straight on in 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 aside hither, and, as for him that lacketh 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, will be sweet, —and a secret meal, will be pleasant;
