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

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.

Visdommen og dårskaben

Visdommen har bygget et stort palads
    med syv smukt udskårne søjler.
Bordet er dækket til fest
    med lækker mad og udsøgte vine.
Tjenerne er ude at indbyde folk,
    de kalder fra byens højdedrag:
„Kom, I enfoldige mennesker,
    hvis I ønsker at få indsigt.
Kom med til visdommens fest
    og smag den udsøgte vin.
Opgiv jeres tåbelige tanker,
    lær at blive vise, så I kan leve ret.”
Det er farligt at irettesætte de hovmodige,
    at undervise dem giver kun problemer.
Hvis du prøver at belære de hovmodige, vil de hade dig,
    men de vise sætter pris på en tilrettevisning.
Vejled de vise, så bliver de endnu visere.
    Undervis de kloge, og deres lærdom forøges.

10 Ærefrygt for Herren fører til visdom,
    at kende den hellige Gud giver forstand.
11 Visdom forlænger ens levetid,
    der lægges flere år til ens liv.
12 Når du er vis, er det til dit eget bedste,
    vrager du visdom, skader du dig selv.

13 Dårskab er som en trodsig kvinde,
    ganske tåbelig og uden forstand.
14 Hun sidder i sin gadedør og venter,
    mens hun ser ud over byen.
15 Hun kalder på dem, der går forbi,
    mens de er fordybet i egne tanker:
16 „Kom indenfor, I uvidende,
    hvis I ønsker at lære noget.
17 Den forbudte frugt smager bedst,
    det er herligt at have hemmeligheder!”
18 Den naive ved ikke, at det fører til død,
    at alle hendes gæster ender i graven.

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