Proverbs 9
Common English Bible
“Woman Wisdom’s” invitation
9 Wisdom built her house;
she has carved out her seven pillars.
2 She slaughtered her animals,
mixed her wine,
and set her table.
3 She sends out her female servants; she issues an invitation
from the top of the city heights:
4 “Whoever is naive turn aside here,”
she says to those who lack sense.
5 “Come, eat my food,
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Abandon your simplistic ways and live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
Wise advice
7 Whoever instructs the cynic gets insulted;
whoever corrects the wicked gets hurt.
8 Don’t correct the impudent, or they will hate you;
correct the wise, and they will love you.
9 Teach the wise, and they will become wiser;
inform the righteous, and their learning will increase.
10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord;
the knowledge of the holy one is understanding.
11 Through me your days will be many;
years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, it is to your benefit;
if you are cynical, you will bear it all alone.
“Woman Folly’s” invitation
13 Woman Folly is noisy;
she’s stupid and doesn’t even know it.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
on a seat at the city heights.
15 She invites those who pass by on the path,
those going straight on their way.
16 “Whoever is naive, come in here,”
she says to those who lack sense.
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But they don’t know that the dead are there;
her guests are in the depths of the grave.[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 9:18 Heb Sheol
Proverbs 9
New International Version
Invitations of Wisdom and Folly
9 Wisdom has built(A) her house;
she has set up[a] its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;(B)
she has also set her table.(C)
3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls(D)
from the highest point of the city,(E)
4 “Let all who are simple(F) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(G) she says,
5 “Come,(H) eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.(I)
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;(J)
walk in the way of insight.”(K)
7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(L)
8 Do not rebuke mockers(M) or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.(N)
9 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
- Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
- Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me
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