Proverbs 9
Lexham English Bible
Wisdom’s Banquet
9 Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine,
and also set her table.
3 She has sent her servant girls,[a] she calls
upon the wings of the high places of town,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn here.”
As for the one who lacks sense,[b] she says to him,
5 “Come, eat with my bread;
drink with the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside simplicity and live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
7 He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself,
and he who rebukes the wicked gets hurt.[c]
8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;
rebuke the wise and he will love you.
9 Give to a wise one and he will become more wise;
teach[d] a righteous one and he will increase learning.
Foolishness’ Banquet
10 The start of wisdom is fear of Yahweh,
and knowledge of the Holy One,[e] insight.
11 For by me your days shall increase,
and years of life shall multiply for you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
and if you scoff, alone you shall bear it.
13 A woman of foolishness is loud,
simple, and does not know it.[f]
14 She sits at the door of her house,
upon a throne at the high places of town,
15 in order to call to those who pass by the road,
those who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever is simple, may he turn here!”
As for he who lacks sense,[g] she says to him,
17 “Stolen waters are sweet,
and bread of secrecy is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead[h] are there,
in the depths of Sheol[i] are her guests.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 9:3 Or “young maidens”
- Proverbs 9:4 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 9:7 Literally “abuse him”
- Proverbs 9:9 Literally “make known to”
- Proverbs 9:10 Or “holy ones”
- Proverbs 9:13 Literally “what”
- Proverbs 9:16 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 9:18 Or “Rephaim”
- Proverbs 9:18 A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld
Proverbs 9
English Standard Version
The Way of Wisdom
9 (A)Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her (B)seven (C)pillars.
2 She has (D)slaughtered her beasts; she has (E)mixed her wine;
she has also (F)set her table.
3 She has (G)sent out her young women to (H)call
from (I)the highest places in the town,
4 (J)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
(K)To him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, (L)eat of my bread
and (M)drink of (N)the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave (O)your simple ways,[a] and (P)live,
(Q)and walk in the way of insight.”
7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8 (R)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
(S)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction[b] to a wise man, and he will be (T)still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will (U)increase in learning.
10 (V)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and (W)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me (X)your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
12 (Y)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
The Way of Folly
13 (Z)The woman Folly is (AA)loud;
she is seductive[c] and (AB)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on (AC)the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who are (AD)going straight on their way,
16 (AE)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 (AF)“Stolen water is sweet,
and (AG)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know (AH)that the dead[d] are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 9:6 Or Leave the company of the simple
- Proverbs 9:9 Hebrew lacks instruction
- Proverbs 9:13 Or full of simpleness
- Proverbs 9:18 Hebrew Rephaim
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
