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La sabiduría y la ignorancia

La sabiduría hizo una casa
y le puso siete columnas labradas.
Hizo además una fiesta,
en la que ofreció el mejor vino.
Una vez puesta la mesa,
mandó mensajeras
a la parte alta de la ciudad,
para que desde allí gritaran:

«Jovencitos sin experiencia,
ya que les falta entendimiento,
vengan conmigo.
Vengan a gozar de mi banquete;
beban del vino que he preparado.
Si realmente quieren vivir,
déjense de tonterías
y actúen con inteligencia.

»Si corriges a los burlones,
sólo ganarás que te insulten;
si reprendes a los malvados,
sólo te ganarás su desprecio.
No reprendas a los burlones,
o acabarán por odiarte;
mejor reprende a los sabios,
y acabarán por amarte.
Educa al sabio,
y aumentará su sabiduría;
enséñale algo al justo,
y aumentará su saber.

10 »Todo el que quiera ser sabio
que comience por obedecer a Dios;
conocer al Dios santo
es dar muestras de inteligencia.
11 Yo, la sabiduría,
te daré muchos años de vida.
12 Si eres sabio,
tú eres quien sale ganando;
pero si eres malcriado,
sufrirás las consecuencias».

13 La ignorancia es escandalosa,
tonta y sinvergüenza.
14 Cuando está en su casa,
se sienta a la entrada misma;
cuando está en la ciudad,
se sienta donde todos la vean,
15 y llama a los distraídos
que pasan por el camino:

16 «Jovencitos inexpertos,
faltos de entendimiento,
¡vengan conmigo!
17 ¡No hay nada más sabroso
que beber agua robada!
¡No hay pan que sepa tan dulce
como el que se come a escondidas!»
18 Pero estos tontos no saben
que esa casa es un cementerio;
¡no saben que sus invitados
ahora están en el fondo de la tumba!

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

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.

Two women[a]

The woman who is called ‘Wisdom’ has built her house with seven pillars to make it strong.

She has killed an animal for a big meal. She has mixed her wine. She has also prepared her table. She has sent her servants to shout a message from the highest places in the town.

She says to foolish people, ‘Come here to me.’

She says to people who do not understand what is right, ‘Come here and eat my food. Drink the wine that I have mixed. Leave foolish ways so that you may live. Learn to understand what is right, so that you can do it.’

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. So do not warn proud people. They will only hate you.

But if you warn a wise person, he will love you. 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.

Footnotes

  1. 9:1 This is the final part of Solomon's teaching to his son. He wants his son to choose the right things in life. He tells about two women. One of them is ‘Wisdom’. The other woman is ‘Fool’. Both women would like us to go with them, but we have to choose.

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

The Way of Wisdom

Wisdom has (A)built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
(B)She has slaughtered her meat,
(C)She has mixed her wine,
She has also [a]furnished her table.
She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
“Whoever(D) is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
“Come,(E) eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.

“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
(F)Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
(G)Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, (H)and he will increase in learning.

10 “The(I) fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 (J)For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 (K)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”

The Way of Folly

13 (L)A foolish woman is [b]clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing.
14 For she sits at the door of her house,
On a seat (M)by the highest places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by,
Who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever(N) is [c]simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen(O) water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that (P)the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of [d]hell.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:2 arranged
  2. Proverbs 9:13 boisterous
  3. Proverbs 9:16 naive
  4. Proverbs 9:18 Or Sheol