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Wisdom has built her house;
    she has carved its seven columns.
She has prepared a great banquet,
    mixed the wines, and set the table.
She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.
    She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.
“Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
    To those who lack good judgment, she says,
“Come, eat my food,
    and drink the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;
    learn to use good judgment.”

Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.
    Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
So don’t bother correcting mockers;
    they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
    and they will love you.
Instruct the wise,
    and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
    and they will learn even more.

10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
    Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

11 Wisdom will multiply your days
    and add years to your life.
12 If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
    If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.

Folly Calls for a Hearing

13 The woman named Folly is brash.
    She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.
14 She sits in her doorway
    on the heights overlooking the city.
15 She calls out to men going by
    who are minding their own business.
16 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
    To those who lack good judgment, she says,
17 “Stolen water is refreshing;
    food eaten in secret tastes the best!”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there.
    Her guests are in the depths of the grave.[a]

Footnotes

  1. 9:18 Hebrew in Sheol.

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

Vishetens inbjudan

Visheten har byggt sitt hus,

    hon har huggit ut[a]
        sina sju pelare.
(A) Hon har slaktat sin boskap,
    blandat sitt vin
        och dukat sitt bord.
(B) Hon har sänt ut sina tjänarinnor,
    hon ropar från stadens
        översta höjder:[b]
”Du som är okunnig, kom hit!”
    Till den som saknar vett säger hon:
”Kom, ät av mitt bröd
    och drick av det vin
        som jag blandat!
Lämna okunnigheten
        så får ni leva,
    och gå fram på förståndets väg.

(C) Den som tillrättavisar en hånare
        får ta emot hån,
    den som förmanar en gudlös
        får förakt.
(D) Förmana inte en hånare,
        han kommer bara att hata dig.
    Förmana den som är vis,
        han kommer att älska dig.
(E) Ge åt den vise
        och han blir ännu visare,
    undervisa den rättfärdige
        och han lär sig mer.
10 (F) Att vörda Herren
        är början till vishet,
    att känna den Helige är förstånd,
11 (G) för genom mig
    blir dina dagar många
        och dina levnadsår förökas.
12 Är du vis hjälper din vishet dig,
    hånar du får du bära det själv.

Oförnuftets inbjudan

13 (H) Dårskapen är en rastlös kvinna,
    okunnig och utan vett.
14 Hon sitter vid dörren till sitt hus,
    på en tron högt uppe i staden.
15 Hon ropar till dem
        som går vägen förbi,
    till dem som går sina stigar
        rakt fram:
16 ”Du som är okunnig, kom hit!”
    Till den som saknar vett
        säger hon:
17 (I) ”Stulet vatten är sött,
    hemligt bröd är ljuvligt!”
18 (J) Men han vet inte
        att de döda är där,
    att hennes gäster
        hamnar i dödsrikets djup.

Footnotes

  1. 9:1 huggit ut   Andra handskrifter (Septuaginta): ”satt upp”.
  2. 9:3 stadens översta höjder   Här låg en stads kungapalats (jfr 2 Sam 11:2) eller tempel (jfr Jes 2:2).