9:1 Wisdom has built her house,
She has carved out her seven pillars;
9:2 She has ①prepared her food, she has mixed her wine;
She has also set her table;
▷ ①Lit slaughtered her slaughter
9:3 She has sent out her attendants, she calls out
From the tops of the heights of the city:
9:4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks ①understanding she says,
▷ ①Lit heart
9:5 “Come, eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
9:6 ①Abandon your foolishness and live,
And proceed in the way of understanding.”
▷ ①Or Abandon the naive
9:7 One who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets ①insults for himself.
▷ ①Lit a blemish
9:8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
9:9 Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will increase his insight.
9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
9:11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
9:12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you alone will ①suffer from it.
▷ ①Lit bear
9:13 ①A woman of foolishness is boisterous,
She has a lack of understanding and knows nothing.
▷ ①Or A foolish woman
9:14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by the high places of the city,
9:15 Calling to those who pass by,
Who are going straight on their paths:
9:16 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks ①understanding she says,
▷ ①Lit heart
9:17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
9:18 But he does not know that the ①dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
▷ ①Lit departed spirits