9 The woman who is called ‘Wisdom’ has built her house with seven pillars to make it strong.
2 She has killed an animal for a big meal. She has mixed her wine. She has also prepared her table. 3 She has sent her servants to shout a message from the highest places in the town.
4 She says to foolish people, ‘Come here to me.’
She says to people who do not understand what is right, 5 ‘Come here and eat my food. Drink the wine that I have mixed. 6 Leave foolish ways so that you may live. Learn to understand what is right, so that you can do it.’
7 If you warn a person who is proud, he will insult you. If you tell a wicked person that he is wrong, he will hurt you. 8 So do not warn proud people. They will only hate you.
But if you warn a wise person, he will love you. 9 If you teach a wise person, he will become even more wise. If you teach a righteous person, he will learn whatever you tell him.
10 If you want to be wise in the way that you live, first you must respect the Lord with fear. If you know God, the Holy One, you will understand what is right.
11 Wisdom will add more days and years to your life.
12 If you are wise, it will help you in many ways. But if you think that you do not need wisdom, you will bring trouble on yourself.
13 The woman who is called ‘Fool’ speaks in a loud voice. She is silly and she does not know anything. 14 She sits at the door of her house. She also has a seat at the highest part of the city. 15 She shouts her message to people as they pass along the road to do their work.
16 She says to people who do not understand what is right, ‘Anyone who is foolish should come in here. 17 If you drink water that belongs to someone else, it tastes very sweet! If you eat food secretly, it tastes better than anything! So come and enjoy my meal!’
18 But those foolish people do not realize that her home is a place for dead people. Her visitors are already in their graves.
9 Wisdom has built her house; she has made it strong with seven columns. [ a ] 2 She has cooked meat, mixed wine, and put food on the table. 3 She has sent her servant girls to announce from the highest hill in the city, [ b ] 4 “Whoever needs instruction, come.” She invites all the simple people and says, 5 “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have prepared. 6 Leave your old, foolish ways and live! Advance along the path of understanding.”
7 Criticize a person who is rude and shows no respect, and you will only get insults. Correct the wicked, and you will only get hurt. 8 Don’t correct such people, or they will hate you. But correct those who are wise, and they will love you. 9 Teach the wise, and they will become wiser. Instruct those who live right, and they will gain more knowledge.
10 Wisdom begins with fear and respect for the Lord . Knowledge of the Holy One leads to understanding. 11 Wisdom will help you live longer; she will add years to your life. 12 If you become wise, it will be for your own good. If you are rude and show no respect, you are the one who will suffer.
13 Foolishness is that other woman, who is loud, stupid, and knows nothing. 14 She sits on her chair at the door of her house, up on the highest hill of the city. 15 When people walk by, she calls out to them. They show no interest in her, but still she says, 16 “Whoever needs instruction, come.” She invites all the simple people and says, 17 “Stolen water is sweet. Stolen bread tastes good.” 18 Those simple people don’t realize that her house is full of ghosts and that her guests have entered the world of the dead.
9 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
9 Wisdom has ( A ) built her house,
She has carved out her seven pillars;
2 She has [ a ] ( B ) prepared her food, she has ( C ) mixed her wine;
She has also ( D ) set her table;
3 She has ( E ) sent out her attendants, she ( F ) calls out
From the ( G ) tops of the heights of the city:
4 “ ( H ) Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who ( I ) lacks [ b ] understanding she says,
5 “Come, ( J ) eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 [ c ] Abandon your foolishness and ( K ) live,
And ( L ) proceed in the way of understanding.”
7 One who ( M ) corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets [ d ] insults for himself.
8 ( N ) Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
( O ) Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will ( P ) increase his insight.
10 The ( Q ) fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For ( R ) by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise ( S ) for yourself,
And if you ( T ) scoff, you alone will [ e ] suffer from it .
13 [ f ] A woman of foolishness is ( U ) boisterous,
She has a lack of understanding and ( V ) knows nothing.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by ( W ) the high places of the city,
15 Calling to those who pass by,
Who are going straight on their paths:
16 “ ( X ) Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks [ g ] understanding she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And ( Y ) bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the [ h ] dead are there,
That her guests are in the ( Z ) depths of Sheol.
9 Wisdom has built ( A ) her house;
she has set up [ a ] its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; ( B )
she has also set her table. ( C )
3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls ( D )
from the highest point of the city, ( E )
4 “Let all who are simple ( F ) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense ( G ) she says,
5 “Come, ( H ) eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed. ( I )
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; ( J )
walk in the way of insight.” ( K )
7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. ( L )
8 Do not rebuke mockers ( M ) or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you. ( N )
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. ( O )
10 The fear of the Lord ( P ) is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One ( Q ) is understanding. ( R )
11 For through wisdom [ b ] your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life. ( S )
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13 Folly is an unruly woman; ( T )
she is simple and knows nothing. ( U )
14 She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city, ( V )
15 calling out ( W ) to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16 “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense ( X ) she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious! ( Y ) ”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead. ( Z )
