Proverbs 9

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Wisdom has built herself a house, she has hewn her seven pil ars,	1 Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns;
2 she has slaughtered her beasts, drawn her wine, she has laid her table.	2 She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table.
3 She has despatched her maidservants and proclaimed from the heights above the city,	3 She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city:
4 'Who is simple? Let him come this way.' To the fool she says,	4 "Let whoever is simple turn in here; to him who lacks understanding, I say,
5 'Come and eat my bread, drink the wine which I have drawn!	5 Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed!
6 Leave foolishness behind and you wil live, go forwards in the ways of perception.'	6 Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.
7 Reprove a mocker and you attract contempt, rebuke the wicked and you attract dishonour.	7 He who corrects an arrogant man earns insult; and he who reproves a wicked man incurs opprobrium.
8 Do not rebuke the mocker, he wil hate you. Rebuke the wise and he wil love you for it.	8 Reprove not an arrogant man, lest he hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Be open with the wise, he grows wiser stil , teach the upright, he wil gain yet more.	9 Instruct a wise man, and he becomes still wiser; teach a just man, and he advances in learning.
10 The first principle of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh, What God's holy ones know -- this isunderstanding.	10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days wil be multiplied, and your years of life increased.	11 For by me your days will be multiplied and the years of your life increased."
12 Are you wise? You are wise to your own good. A mocker? The burden is yours alone.	12 If you are wise, it is to your own advantage; and if you are arrogant, you alone shall bear it.
13 A silly woman acts on impulse, is foolish and knows nothing.	13 The woman Folly is fickle, she is inane, and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house, on a throne high up in the city,	14 She sits at the door of her house upon a seat on the city heights,
15 cal ing to the passers-by, who are walking straight past on their way,	15 Calling to passers-by as they go on their straight way:
16 'Who is simple? Turn aside, come over here.' To the fool she says,	16 "Let whoever is simple turn in here, or who lacks understanding; for to him I say,
17 'Stolen waters are sweet, and bread tastes better when eaten in secret.'	17 Stolen water is sweet, and bread gotten secretly is pleasing!"
18 But the fool does not know that this is where the Shades are and that her guests are already in thevales of Sheol.	18 Little he knows that the shades are there, that in the depths of the nether world are her guests!