Proverbs 9

1 [It is as though] wisdom [is a woman who] has built a [big] house for herself, and has set up seven columns [to support the roof],

Wisdom hath built her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars;

2 and has slaughtered an animal [and cooked the meat], and has mixed [nice spices] in the wine, and has put [the food] on the table.

she hath slaughtered her cattle, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also prepared her table;

3 [It is as though then] she sent out her servant women to call out from the highest place in the town,

she hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the summits of the high places of the city,

4 “You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. To him that is void of understanding, she saith,

5 “Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!

Come, eat ye of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled.

6 (Leave/Go away from) [other] foolish people, and [if you do that, you will continue to] live. Walk on the road that will enable you to (have knowledge/know what is true and what is not true).”

Forsake follies and live, and go in the way of intelligence.

7 If you rebuke someone who will not allow others to correct him, he will insult you. If you reprove/scold an evil man, he will hurt you.

He that instructeth a scorner getteth to himself shame; and he that reproveth a wicked [man] [getteth] to himself a blot.

8 Do not rebuke someone who will not allow others to (correct him/tell him what he has done is wrong), because he will hate you for doing that. [But] if you rebuke a wise person, he will respect you.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise [man], and he will love thee.

9 If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.

Impart to a wise [man], and he will become yet wiser; teach a righteous [man], and he will increase learning.

10 If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh, and if you know God, the Holy One, you will understand [which teachings are wise/true].

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is intelligence.

11 If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].

For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

12 If you are wise, you are the one who will benefit from it; if you ridicule [becoming wise], you are the one who will suffer.

If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

13 Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].

The foolish woman is clamorous; she is stupid, and knoweth nothing.

14 They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,

And she sitteth at the entry of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

15 and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,

to call passers-by who go right on their ways:

16 “You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. And to him that is void of understanding she saith,

17 “[Just as] water which you have stolen tastes very good and food that you eat by yourself tastes the best, [if you have sex secretly with someone to whom you are not married, you will enjoy it very much].”

Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant.

18 But men who go to those women’s houses do not know that those who have gone there are now dead; they have descended down into the deepest parts of the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)

But he knoweth not that the dead are there; [that] her guests are in the depths of Sheol. (Sheol h7585)