Proverbs, 9

1. Wisdom has built herself a house, she has hewn her seven pillars,

1. Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars.

2. she has slaughtered her beasts, drawn her wine, she has laid her table.

2. She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table.

3. She has despatched her maidservants and proclaimed from the heights above the city,

3. She has sent out her maids to call from the highest places in the town,

4. 'Who is simple? Let him come this way.' To the fool she says,

4. "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" To him who is without sense she says,

5. 'Come and eat my bread, drink the wine which I have drawn!

5. "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.

6. Leave foolishness behind and you will live, go forwards in the ways of perception.'

6. Leave simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of insight."

7. Reprove a mocker and you attract contempt, rebuke the wicked and you attract dishonour.

7. He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

8. Do not rebuke the mocker, he will hate you. Rebuke the wise and he will love you for it.

8. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9. Be open with the wise, he grows wiser still, teach the upright, he will gain yet more.

9. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning.

10. The first principle of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh, What God's holy ones know -- this is understanding.

10. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

11. For by me your days will be multiplied, and your years of life increased.

11. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.

12. Are you wise? You are wise to your own good. A mocker? The burden is yours alone.

12. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

13. A silly woman acts on impulse, is foolish and knows nothing.

13. A foolish woman is noisy; she is wanton and knows no shame.

14. She sits at the door of her house, on a throne high up in the city,

14. She sits at the door of her house, she takes a seat on the high places of the town,

15. calling to the passers-by, who are walking straight past on their way,

15. calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way,

16. 'Who is simple? Turn aside, come over here.' To the fool she says,

16. "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" And to him who is without sense she says,

17. 'Stolen waters are sweet, and bread tastes better when eaten in secret.'

17. "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."

18. But the fool does not know that this is where the Shades are and that her guests are already in the vales of Sheol.

18. But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.