智慧和愚昧

智慧建造她的房屋,
    鑿出七根柱子。
她宰了牲口,
    調了美酒,
    設了宴席,
派婢女出去邀請賓客,
    自己在城中高處呼喊:
「愚昧人啊,到這裡來吧!」
    她又對無知者說:
「來吃我做的飯,
    嚐嚐我調的酒吧!
你們要拋棄愚昧,就能存活,
    要轉向悟性之道。」

糾正嘲諷者,必自招羞辱;
    責備惡人,必自招傷害。
不要責備嘲諷者,免得他恨你;
    要責備智者,他必愛你。
教導智者,他就更有智慧;
    指教義人,他就更有見識。
10 智慧始於敬畏耶和華,
    認識至聖者便是明智。
11 智慧可增添你的年日,
    加添你的壽數。
12 人有智慧,自得益處;
    人好嘲諷,自食惡果。

13 愚昧的女人喧嚷,蒙昧,無知。
14 她坐在自己的家門口,
    坐在城中高處的座位上,
15 招呼著行色匆匆的過客:
16 「愚昧人啊,到這裡來吧!」
    她又對無知者說:
17 「偷喝的水甜,偷吃的餅香。」
18 他們卻不知她那裡鬼影幢幢,
    她的客人已落在陰間的深處。

愚蒙人當轉向智慧

智慧建造自己的房屋,

鑿成七根柱子。

它宰殺牲口,調配美酒,

擺設筵席。

它差派幾個使女出去,

自己又在城裡的高處呼喊:

“誰是愚蒙人,

可以到這裡來!”

又對無知的人說:

“你們都來,吃我的餅,

喝我調配的酒。

愚蒙人哪!你們要丟棄愚蒙,就可以存活,

並且要走在智慧的道路上。”

糾正好譏笑人的,必自招恥辱;

責備惡人的,必遭受羞辱。

你不要責備好譏笑人的,

免得他恨你;

要責備智慧人,他必愛你。

教導智慧人,他就越有智慧;

指教義人,他就增加學問。

10 敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端,

認識至聖者就是聰明。

11 因為藉著我,你的日子就必增多,

你一生的年歲也必加添。

12 如果你有智慧,你的智慧必使你得益;

如果你譏笑人,你就必獨自擔當一切後果。

13 愚昧的婦人喧嘩不停,

她是愚蒙,一無所知。

14 她坐在自己的家門口,

坐在城中高處的座位上,

15 向過路的人呼叫,

就是向往前直行的人呼叫:

16 “誰是愚蒙人,可以到這裡來!”

又對無知的人說:

17 “偷來的水是甜的,

在暗中吃的餅是美味的。”

18 人卻不知道她那裡有陰魂,

她的客人是在陰間的深處。

Invitations of Wisdom and Folly

Wisdom has built(A) her house;
    she has set up[a] its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;(B)
    she has also set her table.(C)
She has sent out her servants, and she calls(D)
    from the highest point of the city,(E)
    “Let all who are simple(F) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(G) she says,
    “Come,(H) eat my food
    and drink the wine I have mixed.(I)
Leave your simple ways and you will live;(J)
    walk in the way of insight.”(K)

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(L)
Do not rebuke mockers(M) or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.(N)
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)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
  2. Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me