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Wisdom’s Feast

Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her seven pillars.(A)
She has slaughtered her animals; she has mixed her wine;
    she has also set her table.(B)
She has sent out her female servants; she calls
    from the highest places in the town,(C)
“You who are simple, turn in here!”
    To those without sense she says,(D)
“Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.(E)
Lay aside immaturity and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”(F)

General Maxims

Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;
    whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.(G)
Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;
    rebuke the wise, and he will love you.(H)
Give instruction[a] to the wise, and they will become wiser still;
    teach the righteous, and they will gain in learning.(I)
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.(J)
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.(K)
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.(L)

Folly’s Invitation and Promise

13 The foolish woman is loud;
    she is ignorant and knows nothing.(M)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the high places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are going straight on their way,
16 “You who are simple, turn in here!”
    And to those without sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
    and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”(N)
18 But they do not know that the dead[b] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.(O)

Wise Sayings of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise child makes a glad father,
    but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.(P)
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.(Q)
A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent makes rich.(R)
A child who gathers in summer is prudent,
    but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame.(S)
Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(T)
The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.(U)
The wise of heart will heed commandments,
    but one with foolish lips will come to ruin.(V)
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.(W)
10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
    but one who rebukes boldly makes peace.[c](X)
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(Y)
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers all offenses.(Z)
13 On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.(AA)
14 The wise lay up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
15 The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
    the poverty of the poor is their ruin.(AB)
16 The wage of the righteous leads to life,
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
    but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray.
18 Lying lips conceal hatred,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    but the prudent are restrained in speech.(AC)
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
    the mind of the wicked is of little worth.(AD)
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.
22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and toil adds nothing to it.(AE)
23 Doing wrong is like sport to a fool,
    but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.(AF)
24 What the wicked dread will come upon them,
    but the desire of the righteous will be granted.(AG)
25 When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more,
    but the righteous are established forever.(AH)
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so are the lazy to their employers.(AI)
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
    but the years of the wicked will be short.(AJ)
28 The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,
    but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright
    but destruction for evildoers.(AK)
30 The righteous will never totter,
    but the wicked will not remain on the earth.(AL)
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.(AM)
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

Footnotes

  1. 9.9 Heb lacks instruction
  2. 9.18 Heb shades
  3. 10.10 Gk: Heb but one with foolish lips will come to ruin

Invitations of Wisdom and Folly

Wisdom has built(A) her house;
    she has set up[a] its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;(B)
    she has also set her table.(C)
She has sent out her servants, and she calls(D)
    from the highest point of the city,(E)
    “Let all who are simple(F) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(G) she says,
    “Come,(H) eat my food
    and drink the wine I have mixed.(I)
Leave your simple ways and you will live;(J)
    walk in the way of insight.”(K)

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(L)
Do not rebuke mockers(M) or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.(N)
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)

Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs(AA) of Solomon:(AB)

A wise son brings joy to his father,(AC)
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,(AD)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(AE)

The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,(AF)
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.(AG)

Lazy hands make for poverty,(AH)
    but diligent hands bring wealth.(AI)

He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.(AJ)

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[c](AK)

The name of the righteous(AL) is used in blessings,[d]
    but the name of the wicked(AM) will rot.(AN)

The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(AO)

Whoever walks in integrity(AP) walks securely,(AQ)
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.(AR)

10 Whoever winks maliciously(AS) causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(AT)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(AU)

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.(AV)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(AW)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(AX)

14 The wise store up knowledge,(AY)
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.(AZ)

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,(BA)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.(BB)

16 The wages of the righteous is life,(BC)
    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.(BD)

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,(BE)
    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(BF)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.(BG)

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.(BH)

22 The blessing of the Lord(BI) brings wealth,(BJ)
    without painful toil for it.(BK)

23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(BL)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dread(BM) will overtake them;(BN)
    what the righteous desire will be granted.(BO)

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
    but the righteous stand firm(BP) forever.(BQ)

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke(BR) to the eyes,
    so are sluggards to those who send them.(BS)

27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,(BT)
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.(BU)

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
    but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.(BV)

29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
    but it is the ruin of those who do evil.(BW)

30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
    but the wicked will not remain in the land.(BX)

31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(BY)
    but a perverse tongue(BZ) will be silenced.

32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,(CA)
    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.(CB)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
  2. Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me
  3. Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
  4. Proverbs 10:7 See Gen. 48:20.