Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom has built a house for
herself, and set up seven pillars.
2 She has killed her beasts; she has
mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table.
3 She has sent forth her servants,
calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,
4 Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside
to me: and to them that want understanding she says,
5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink
wine which I have mingled for you.
6 Leave folly, that ye may reign for
ever; and seek
aAlex. + 'that ye may live.'wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.
7 He that reproves evil
men shall get dishonour to himself; and he that
rebukes an ungodly man shall disgrace himself.
8 Rebuke not evil
men, lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise
man, and he will love thee.
9 Give an opportunity to a wise
man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and
he will receive more instruction.
10 The fear of the Lord is the
bOr, summit.beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding:
10a for to know the law is
the character of a sound mind.
11 For in this way thou shalt live
long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.
12 Son, if thou be wise for thyself,
thou shalt also be wise for thy neighbours; and if thou shouldest prove
wicked, thou alone wilt bear the evil.
12a cHeb. — to beginning of verse 13.He that stays himself upon falsehoods, attempts to rule the winds, and the
same will pursue birds in their flight:
12b for he has forsaken the ways of
his own vineyard, and he has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go
astray; 12c and he goes through a dry
desert, and a land appointed to drought, and he
gathers barrenness with his hands.
13 A foolish and bold woman, who
knows not modesty, comes to want a morsel.
14 She sits at the doors of her
house, on a seat openly in the streets,
15 calling to passers by, and to
those that are going right on their ways;
16 saying,
Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those
that want prudence, saying, 17 Take
and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft.
18 But he knows that mighty men die
by her, and he falls in with a snare of hell.
18a But hasten away, delay not in the
place, neither fix thine eye upon her:
18b for thus shalt thou go through
strange water; 18c but do thou
abstain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain,
18d that thou mayest live long, and
years of life may be added to thee.