Proverbs 9

Wisdom's feast and invitation

חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָֽה׃

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ אַף עָֽרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָֽהּ׃

She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

שָֽׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא עַל-גַּפֵּי מְרֹמֵי קָֽרֶת׃

She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

מִי-פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה חֲסַר-לֵב אָמְרָה לּֽוֹ׃

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְֽלַחֲמִי וּשְׁתוּ בְּיַיִן מָסָֽכְתִּי׃

Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

עִזְבוּ פְתָאיִם וִֽחְיוּ וְאִשְׁרוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ בִּינָֽה׃

Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

יֹסֵר׀ לֵץ לֹקֵחַֽ לוֹ קָלוֹן וּמוֹכִיחַ לְרָשָׁע מוּמֽוֹ׃

He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

אַל-תּוֹכַח לֵץ פֶּן-יִשְׂנָאֶךָּ הוֹכַח לְחָכָם וְיֶאֱהָבֶֽךָּ׃

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

תֵּן לְחָכָם וְיֶחְכַּם-עוֹד הוֹדַע לְצַדִּיק וְיוֹסֶף לֶֽקַח׃

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

תְּחִלַּת חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהוָה וְדַעַת קְדֹשִׁים בִּינָֽה׃

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

כִּי-בִי יִרְבּוּ יָמֶיךָ וְיוֹסִיפוּ לְּךָ שְׁנוֹת חַיִּֽים׃

For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

אִם-חָכַמְתָּ חָכַמְתָּ לָּךְ וְלַצְתָּ לְֽבַדְּךָ תִשָּֽׂא׃

If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

אֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת הֹֽמִיָּה פְּתַיּוּת וּבַל-יָדְעָה מָּֽה׃

A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

וְֽיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ עַל-כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָֽרֶת׃

For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

לִקְרֹא לְעֹֽבְרֵי-דָרֶךְ הַֽמְיַשְּׁרִים אֹֽרְחוֹתָֽם׃

To call passengers who go right on their ways:

מִי-פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה וַחֲסַר-לֵב וְאָמְרָה לּֽוֹ׃

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

מַֽיִם-גְּנוּבִים יִמְתָּקוּ וְלֶחֶם סְתָרִים יִנְעָֽם׃

Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

וְֽלֹא-יָדַע כִּֽי-רְפָאִים שָׁם בְּעִמְקֵי שְׁאוֹל קְרֻאֶֽיהָ׃

But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.