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Proverbs 9
Expanded Bible
Proverbs 9
Expanded Bible
Being Wise or Foolish
9 Wisdom has built her house;
she has made its seven ·columns [pillars; C a large house].
2 She has ·prepared her food [L slaughtered her slaughter] and prepared [mixed] her wine;
she has set her table.
3 She has sent out her servant girls,
and she calls out from the highest place in the city [C the location of the Temple, indicating she symbolizes God].
4 She says to those who are ·uneducated [naive; immature; simpleminded],
“·Come in [Turn aside] here, you ·foolish people [who lack sense]!
5 Come and eat my food
and drink the wine I have ·prepared [mixed].
6 Stop your ·foolish [naive; immature; simpleminded] ways, and you will live;
take the road of understanding.
7 “If you ·correct [instruct; discipline] ·someone who makes fun of wisdom [a mocker], you will be insulted.
If you correct an evil person, you will ·get hurt [L be blemished].
8 Do not correct ·those who make fun of wisdom [mockers], or they will hate you.
But correct the wise, and they will love you.
9 ·Teach [L Give to] the wise, and they will become even wiser;
·teach [inform] ·good people [the righteous], and they will ·learn even more [L add to their learning].
10 “Wisdom begins with ·respect [fear; awe] for the Lord,
and understanding begins with knowing the Holy One.
11 ·If you live wisely [L Through/By me], you will live a long time;
wisdom will add years to your life.
12 The wise person is rewarded by wisdom,
but ·whoever makes fun of wisdom will suffer for it [L mockers will bear it alone].”
13 ·Foolishness is like a loud woman [Woman Folly is boisterous/noisy];
she ·does not have wisdom or knowledge [L is ignorant and does not even know it].
14 She sits at the door of her house
at the highest place in the city [9:3; C her house is built on the highest point of the city, indicating she symbolizes false gods].
15 She ·calls out to [invites] those who are passing by,
who are going along, minding their own business.
16 She says to those who ·are uneducated [lack sense/heart],
“·Come in [Turn aside] here, you ·foolish [naive; immature; simpleminded] people!
17 Stolen water is sweeter,
and food eaten in secret tastes better.”
18 But these people don’t know that ·everyone who goes there dies [the dead/departed/shades are there],
that her guests ·end up deep in the grave [L are in the depths of Sheol].
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
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