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 has built her house; she has prepared its 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 has slaughtered her animals for meat; she has mixed her wine; and she has set 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 has sent out her servant girls with invitations. She calls out from the highest places of the town,
4 “You people who need to understand more, come in!” And to those who are ignorant, [it is as though] she calls out,
“Everybody who needs to learn, come and see me!” To people who don't have any sense she says,
5 “Come and eat the food that I [have prepared], and drink the [good] wine that I have mixed!
“Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed.
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).”
Leave your foolish ways and you will live; follow the path that makes sense.”
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.
If you correct a mocker all you get are insults; if you argue with the wicked all you get is abuse.
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.
So don't argue with mockers or they'll only hate you; argue with the wise and they'll love you.
9 If you give instruction to wise people, they will become wiser. And if you teach righteous people, they will learn more.
Educate the wise and they'll become even wiser; teach those who live right and they will increase their 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].
Honoring the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; knowledge of the Holy One brings insight.
11 If you become wise, you will live many years [DOU].
Through wisdom you'll have many more days, increasing the years of your life.
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 you are wise, you are the one to profit from it; if you scoff, you alone will have to suffer the consequences.
13 Foolish women talk loudly; they are ignorant and are never ashamed [of the wrong things that they do].
Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant woman who doesn't know anything.
14 They sit at the doors of their houses [or] they sit on the top [of the hills] in the town,
She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the town,
15 and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,
calling out to those passing by, going about their business,
16 “You people who need to understand more, come into [my house]!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,
“Everybody who needs to learn, come and see me!” To people who don't have any sense she says,
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 water is sweet, and food eaten in secret tastes good!”
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 they don't know that the dead are there, that those she's invited are in the depths of the grave. (Sheol h7585)
