Wisdom versus Foolishness

Wisdom has built her house;(A)
she has carved out her seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat;(B) she has mixed her wine;(C)
she has also set her table.(D)
She has sent out her female servants;(E)
she calls out from the highest points of the city:(F)
“Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense,(G) she says,
“Come, eat my bread,(H)
and drink the wine I have mixed.
Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;
pursue the way of understanding.
The one who corrects a mocker
will bring abuse on himself;
the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt.[a]
Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;(I)
rebuke the wise, and he will love you.(J)
Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still;
teach the righteous, and he will learn more.(K)

10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,(L)
and the knowledge of the Holy One(M) is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;(N)
if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”

13 Folly is a rowdy woman;(O)
she is gullible and knows nothing.(P)
14 She sits by the doorway of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who go straight ahead on their paths:(Q)
16 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten secretly is tasty!” (R)
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,(S)
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.(T)

A Collection of Solomon’s Proverbs

10 Solomon’s proverbs:(U)

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.(V)

Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone,
but righteousness rescues from death.(W)

The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry,(X)
but he denies the wicked what they crave.(Y)

Idle hands make one poor,
but diligent hands bring riches.(Z)

The son who gathers during summer is prudent;
the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.(AA)

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(AB)

The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.(AC)

A wise heart accepts commands,(AD)
but foolish lips will be destroyed.

The one who lives with integrity lives securely,(AE)
but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.(AF)

10 A sly wink of the eye(AG) causes grief,
and foolish lips will be destroyed.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(AH)
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(AI)

12 Hatred stirs up conflicts,
but love covers all offenses.(AJ)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.(AK)

14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.(AL)

15 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;(AM)
the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The reward of the righteous is life;
the wages of the wicked is punishment.(AN)

17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,
but the one who rejects correction goes astray.(AO)

18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.(AP)

19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,
but the one who controls his lips is prudent.(AQ)

20 The tongue of the righteous is pure silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little value.(AR)

21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.(AS)

22 The Lord’s blessing enriches,(AT)
and he adds no painful effort to it.[b](AU)

23 As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool,(AV)
so wisdom is for a person of understanding.

24 What the wicked dreads will come to him,(AW)
but what the righteous desire will be given to them.(AX)

25 When the whirlwind passes,
the wicked are no more,(AY)
but the righteous are secure forever.(AZ)

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,(BA)
so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,[c](BB)
but the years of the wicked are cut short.(BC)

28 The hope of the righteous is joy,(BD)
but the expectation of the wicked will perish.(BE)

29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable,
but destruction awaits evildoers.(BF)

30 The righteous will never be shaken,
but the wicked will not remain on the earth.(BG)

31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,(BH)
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.(BI)

32 The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate,(BJ)
but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.(BK)

Notas al pie

  1. 9:7 Lit man: his blemish
  2. 10:22 Or and painful effort adds nothing to it
  3. 10:27 Lit Lord adds to days

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)

Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs(AA) of Solomon:(AB)

A wise son brings joy to his father,(AC)
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,(AD)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(AE)

The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,(AF)
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.(AG)

Lazy hands make for poverty,(AH)
    but diligent hands bring wealth.(AI)

He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.(AJ)

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[c](AK)

The name of the righteous(AL) is used in blessings,[d]
    but the name of the wicked(AM) will rot.(AN)

The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(AO)

Whoever walks in integrity(AP) walks securely,(AQ)
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.(AR)

10 Whoever winks maliciously(AS) causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(AT)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(AU)

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.(AV)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(AW)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(AX)

14 The wise store up knowledge,(AY)
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.(AZ)

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,(BA)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.(BB)

16 The wages of the righteous is life,(BC)
    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.(BD)

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,(BE)
    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(BF)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.(BG)

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.(BH)

22 The blessing of the Lord(BI) brings wealth,(BJ)
    without painful toil for it.(BK)

23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(BL)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dread(BM) will overtake them;(BN)
    what the righteous desire will be granted.(BO)

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
    but the righteous stand firm(BP) forever.(BQ)

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke(BR) to the eyes,
    so are sluggards to those who send them.(BS)

27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,(BT)
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.(BU)

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
    but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.(BV)

29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
    but it is the ruin of those who do evil.(BW)

30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
    but the wicked will not remain in the land.(BX)

31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(BY)
    but a perverse tongue(BZ) will be silenced.

32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,(CA)
    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.(CB)

Notas al pie

  1. Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
  2. Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me
  3. Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
  4. Proverbs 10:7 See Gen. 48:20.