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Proverbs 9
1599 Geneva Bible
Proverbs 9
1599 Geneva Bible
9 2 Wisdom calleth all to her feast. 7 The scorner will not be corrected. 10 The fear of God. 13 The conditions of the harlot.
1 Wisdom hath built her [a]house, and hewn out her [b]seven pillars.
2 She hath killed her victuals, drawn her wine, and [c]prepared her table.
3 She hath sent forth her [d]maidens, and crieth upon the highest places of the city, saying,
4 Who so is [e]simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisdom, she saith,
5 Come, and eat of my [f]meat, and drink of the wine that I have drawn.
6 Forsake your way, ye foolish, and ye shall live: and walk in the way of understanding.
7 He that reproveth a scorner, purchaseth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh the wicked, getteth himself a [g]blot.
8 Rebuke not a [h]scorner, lest he hate thee: but rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Give admonition to the wise, and he will be the wiser: teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of holy things, is [i]understanding.
11 For thy days shall be multiplied by me, and the years of thy life shall be augmented.
12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for [j]thyself, and if thou be a scorner, thou alone shalt suffer.
13 ¶ A [k]foolish woman is troublesome; she is ignorant and knoweth nothing.
14 But she sitteth at the door of her house on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call them that pass by the way, that go right on their way, saying,
16 Who so is simple let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisdom, she saith also,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and hid bread is pleasant.
18 But he knoweth not, that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depth of hell.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 9:1 Christ hath prepared him a Church.
- Proverbs 9:1 That is, many chief stays and principal parts of his Church, as were the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Pastors, and Doctors.
- Proverbs 9:2 He compareth wisdom with great princes that keep open house for all that come.
- Proverbs 9:3 Meaning, true preachers, which are not infected with man’s wisdom.
- Proverbs 9:4 He that knoweth his own ignorance, and is void of malice.
- Proverbs 9:5 By the meat and drink, is meant the word of God, and the ministration of the Sacraments, whereby God nourisheth his servants in his house, which is the Church.
- Proverbs 9:7 For the wicked will contemn him and labor to defame him.
- Proverbs 9:8 Meaning them that are incorrigible, which Christ calleth dogs and swine: or he speaketh this in comparison, not that the wicked should not be rebuked, but he showeth their malice, and the small hope of profit.
- Proverbs 9:10 He showeth what true understanding is, to know the will of God in his word which is meant by holy things.
- Proverbs 9:12 Thou shalt have the chief profit and commodity thereof.
- Proverbs 9:13 By the foolish woman, some understand the wicked preachers, who counterfeit the word of God: as appeareth verse 16, which were the words of the true preachers, as verse 4, but their doctrine is but as stolen waters: meaning, that they are but men’s traditions, which are more pleasant to the flesh than the word of God, and therefore they themselves boast thereof.
Proverbs 9
New International Version
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
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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