9:1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has carved out its seven pillars.1
9:2 She has prepared her meat,2 she has mixed her wine;
she also has arranged her table.3
9:3 She has sent out her female servants;
she calls out on the highest places4 of the city.
9:4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
she says5 to those6 who lack understanding.7
9:5 “Come, eat8 some of my food,
and drink some of the wine I have mixed.9
9:6 Abandon your foolish ways10 so that you may live,11
and proceed12 in the way of understanding.”
9:7 Whoever corrects13 a mocker is asking for14 insult;15
whoever reproves a wicked person receives16 abuse.
9:8 Do not reprove17 a mocker or18 he will hate you;
reprove a wise person and he will love you.
9:9 Give instruction19 to a wise person,20 and he will become wiser still;
teach21 a righteous person and he will add to his22 learning.
9:10 The beginning23 of wisdom is to fear the Lord,24
and acknowledging25 the Holy One26 is understanding.
9:11 For because27 of me your days will be many,
and years will be added28 to your life.
9:12 If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage,29
but if you are a mocker,30 you alone must31 bear it.32
9:13 The woman called Folly33 is brash,34
she is naive35 and does not know36 anything.37
9:14 So she sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
9:15 calling out38 to those who are passing by her39 in the way,40
who go straight41 on their way.
9:16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here,”
she says to those who lack understanding.42
9:17 “Stolen waters43 are sweet,
and food obtained in secret44 is pleasant!”
9:18 But they do not know45 that the dead46 are there,
that her guests are in the depths of the grave.47
The First Collection of Solomonic Proverbs48