Proverbs 9

Proverbs 9 contrasts **Lady Wisdom**, who builds her house with seven pillars, prepares a feast, and invites the simple to partake and walk in understanding, with **Woman Folly**, who seductively calls the naive to her house offering stolen pleasures leading to death in Sheol.[1][2][3] It teaches that the fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom, wise ones welcome correction while scoffers reject it, and personal choices yield personal consequences.[1][3]

← Chapter 8 Chapter 10 →

Interlinear Text

Wisdom has built her house has hewn her pillars seven

1 חָ֭כְמוֹת 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤅𐤕 chakhemot Wisdom HNcfpa בָּנְתָ֣ה 𐤁𐤍𐤕𐤄 banetah has built HVqp3fs בֵיתָ֑/הּ 𐤁𐤉𐤕/𐤄 veytah her house HNcmsc/Sp3fs חָצְבָ֖ה 𐤇𐤑𐤁𐤄 chatsevah has hewn HVqp3fs עַמּוּדֶ֣י/הָ 𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤃𐤉/𐤄 amudeyha her pillars HNcmpc/Sp3fs שִׁבְעָֽה 𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤄 shiveah seven HAcmsa

she has slaughtered her meat she has mixed her wine also she has set her table

2 טָבְחָ֣ה 𐤈𐤁𐤇𐤄 tavechah she has slaughtered HVqp3fs טִ֭בְחָ/הּ 𐤈𐤁𐤇/𐤄 tivechah her meat HNcmsc/Sp3fs מָסְכָ֣ה 𐤌𐤎𐤊𐤄 masekhah she has mixed HVqp3fs יֵינָ֑/הּ 𐤉𐤉𐤍/𐤄 yeynah her wine HNcmsc/Sp3fs אַ֝֗ף 𐤀𐤐 af also HTa עָֽרְכָ֥ה 𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤄 arekhah she has set HVqp3fs שֻׁלְחָנָֽ/הּ 𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤍/𐤄 shulechanah her table HNcmsc/Sp3fs

She has sent out her maidens she calls upon tops of the heights of the city

3 שָֽׁלְחָ֣ה 𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤄 shalechah She has sent out HVqp3fs נַעֲרֹתֶ֣י/הָ 𐤍𐤏𐤓𐤕𐤉/𐤄 naaroteyha her maidens HNcfpc/Sp3fs תִקְרָ֑א 𐤕𐤒𐤓𐤀 tiqera she calls HVqi3fs עַל 𐤏𐤋 al upon HR גַּ֝פֵּ֗י 𐤂𐤐𐤉 gapey tops of HNcmpc מְרֹ֣מֵי 𐤌𐤓𐤌𐤉 meromey the heights of HNcmpc קָֽרֶת 𐤒𐤓𐤕 qaret the city HNcfsa

Whoever is simple let him turn here lacking understanding she says to him

4 מִי 𐤌𐤉 mi Whoever HTi פֶ֭תִי 𐤐𐤕𐤉 feti is simple HNcmsa יָסֻ֣ר 𐤉𐤎𐤓 yasur let him turn HVqj3ms הֵ֑נָּה 𐤄𐤍𐤄 henah here HD חֲסַר 𐤇𐤎𐤓 chasar lacking HAamsc לֵ֝֗ב 𐤋𐤁 lev understanding HNcmsa אָ֣מְרָה 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤄 amerah she says HVqp3fs לּֽ/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo to him HR/Sp3ms

Come eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed

5 לְ֭כוּ 𐤋𐤊𐤅 lekhu Come HVqv2mp לַחֲמ֣וּ 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤅 lachamu eat HVqv2mp בְֽ/לַחֲמִ֑/י 𐤁/𐤋𐤇𐤌/𐤉 velachami of my bread HR/Ncbsc/Sp1cs וּ֝/שְׁת֗וּ 𐤅/𐤔𐤕𐤅 ushetu and drink HC/Vqv2mp בְּ/יַ֣יִן 𐤁/𐤉𐤉𐤍 beyayin of the wine HR/Ncmsa מָסָֽכְתִּי 𐤌𐤎𐤊𐤕𐤉 masakheti I have mixed HVqp1cs

Forsake the foolish and live and proceed in the way of understanding

6 עִזְב֣וּ 𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤅 izevu Forsake HVqv2mp פְתָאיִ֣ם 𐤐𐤕𐤀𐤉𐤌 fetayim the foolish HNcmpa וִֽ/חְי֑וּ 𐤅/𐤇𐤉𐤅 vicheyu and live HC/Vqv2mp וְ֝/אִשְׁר֗וּ 𐤅/𐤀𐤔𐤓𐤅 veisheru and proceed HC/Vqv2mp בְּ/דֶ֣רֶךְ 𐤁/𐤃𐤓𐤊 bederekhe in the way HR/Ncbsc בִּינָֽה 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄 binah of understanding HNcfsa

corrects a scoffer gets dishonor and rebukes a wicked man insults

7 יֹ֤סֵ֨ר 𐤉𐤎𐤓 yoser corrects HVqrmsa לֵ֗ץ 𐤋𐤑 lets a scoffer HAamsa לֹקֵ֣חַֽ 𐤋𐤒𐤇 loqecha gets HVqrmsa ל֣/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo HR/Sp3ms קָל֑וֹן 𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤍 qalon dishonor HNcmsa וּ/מוֹכִ֖יחַ 𐤅/𐤌𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤇 umokhicha and rebukes HC/Vhrmsa לְ/רָשָׁ֣ע 𐤋/𐤓𐤔𐤏 lerasha a wicked man HR/Aamsa מוּמֽ/וֹ 𐤌𐤅𐤌/𐤅 mumo insults HNcmsc/Sp3ms

do not reprove a scoffer lest he hate you reprove a wise man and he will love you

8 אַל 𐤀𐤋 al do not HTn תּ֣וֹכַח 𐤕𐤅𐤊𐤇 tokhach reprove HVhj2ms לֵ֭ץ 𐤋𐤑 lets a scoffer HAamsa פֶּן 𐤐𐤍 pen lest HC יִשְׂנָאֶ֑/ךָּ 𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤀/𐤊 yisenaekha he hate you HVqi3ms/Sp2ms הוֹכַ֥ח 𐤄𐤅𐤊𐤇 hokhach reprove HVhv2ms לְ֝/חָכָ֗ם 𐤋/𐤇𐤊𐤌 lechakham a wise man HR/Aamsa וְ/יֶאֱהָבֶֽ/ךָּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤀𐤄𐤁/𐤊 veyeehavekha and he will love you HC/Vqi3ms/Sp2ms

Give to a wise man and he will be wiser still Teach a righteous man and he will increase learning

9 תֵּ֣ן 𐤕𐤍 ten Give HVqv2ms לְ֭/חָכָם 𐤋/𐤇𐤊𐤌 lechakham to a wise man HR/Aamsa וְ/יֶחְכַּם 𐤅/𐤉𐤇𐤊𐤌 veyechekam and he will be wiser HC/Vqi3ms ע֑וֹד 𐤏𐤅𐤃 od still HD הוֹדַ֥ע 𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤏 hoda Teach HVhv2ms לְ֝/צַדִּ֗יק 𐤋/𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 letsadiq a righteous man HR/Aamsa וְ/י֣וֹסֶף 𐤅/𐤉𐤅𐤎𐤐 veyosef and he will increase HC/Vhi3ms לֶֽקַח 𐤋𐤒𐤇 leqach learning HNcmsa

beginning of wisdom fear of YHWH and-knowledge of the Holy Ones understanding

10 תְּחִלַּ֣ת 𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤕 techilat beginning of HNcfsc חָ֭כְמָה 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 chakhemah wisdom HNcfsa יִרְאַ֣ת 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤕 yireat fear of HNcfsc יְהוָ֑ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH HNp וְ/דַ֖עַת 𐤅/𐤃𐤏𐤕 vedaat and-knowledge of HC/Ncfsc קְדֹשִׁ֣ים 𐤒𐤃𐤔𐤉𐤌 qedoshim the Holy Ones HAampa בִּינָֽה 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄 binah understanding HNcfsa

For by me will be multiplied your days and will be added to you years of life

11 כִּי 𐤊𐤉 ki For HC בִ֭/י 𐤁/𐤉 vi by me HR/Sp1cs יִרְבּ֣וּ 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤅 yirebu will be multiplied HVqi3mp יָמֶ֑י/ךָ 𐤉𐤌𐤉/𐤊 yameykha your days HNcmpc/Sp2ms וְ/יוֹסִ֥יפוּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤅𐤎𐤉𐤐𐤅 veyosifu and will be added HC/Vhi3mp לְּ֝/ךָ֗ 𐤋/𐤊 lekha to you HR/Sp2ms שְׁנ֣וֹת 𐤔𐤍𐤅𐤕 shenot years HNcfpc חַיִּֽים 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 chayim of life HNcmpa

If you are wise you are wise for yourself and if you scoff alone you will bear

12 אִם 𐤀𐤌 im If HC חָ֭כַמְתָּ 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤕 chakhameta you are wise HVqp2ms חָכַ֣מְתָּ 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤕 chakhameta-2 you are wise HVqp2ms לָּ֑/ךְ 𐤋/𐤊 lakhe for yourself HR/Sp2fs וְ֝/לַ֗צְתָּ 𐤅/𐤋𐤑𐤕 velatseta and if you scoff HC/Vqp2ms לְֽ/בַדְּ/ךָ֥ 𐤋/𐤁𐤃/𐤊 levadekha alone HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms תִשָּֽׂא 𐤕𐤔𐤀 tisa you will bear HVqi2ms

woman of folly is boisterous naive and not knows anything

13 אֵ֣שֶׁת 𐤀𐤔𐤕 eshet woman of HNcfsc כְּ֭סִילוּת 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤅𐤕 kesilut folly HNcfsa הֹֽמִיָּ֑ה 𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤄 homiyah is boisterous HVqrfsa פְּ֝תַיּ֗וּת 𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤅𐤕 petayut naive HNcfsa וּ/בַל 𐤅/𐤁𐤋 uval and not HC/Tn יָ֥דְעָה 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤄 yadeah knows HVqp3fs מָּֽה 𐤌𐤄 mah anything HTi

and she sits at the doorway of her house on a seat at the heights of the city

14 וְֽ֭/יָשְׁבָה 𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤄 veyashevah and she sits HC/Vqp3fs לְ/פֶ֣תַח 𐤋/𐤐𐤕𐤇 lefetach at the doorway HR/Ncmsc בֵּיתָ֑/הּ 𐤁𐤉𐤕/𐤄 beytah of her house HNcmsc/Sp3fs עַל 𐤏𐤋 al on HR כִּ֝סֵּ֗א 𐤊𐤎𐤀 kise a seat HNcmsa מְרֹ֣מֵי 𐤌𐤓𐤌𐤉 meromey at the heights HNcmpc קָֽרֶת 𐤒𐤓𐤕 qaret of the city HNcfsa

to call to passersby way who go straight their paths

15 לִ/קְרֹ֥א 𐤋/𐤒𐤓𐤀 liqero to call HR/Vqc לְ/עֹֽבְרֵי 𐤋/𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤉 leoverey to passersby HR/Vqrmpc דָ֑רֶךְ 𐤃𐤓𐤊 darekhe way HNcbsa הַֽ֝/מְיַשְּׁרִ֗ים 𐤄/𐤌𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 hameyasherim who go straight HTd/Vprmpa אֹֽרְחוֹתָֽ/ם 𐤀𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤕/𐤌 orechotam their paths HNcbpc/Sp3mp

Whoever is naive let him turn here and lacking understanding she says to him

16 מִי 𐤌𐤉 mi Whoever HTi פֶ֭תִי 𐤐𐤕𐤉 feti is naive HNcmsa יָסֻ֣ר 𐤉𐤎𐤓 yasur let him turn HVqj3ms הֵ֑נָּה 𐤄𐤍𐤄 henah here HD וַ/חֲסַר 𐤅/𐤇𐤎𐤓 vachasar and lacking HC/Aamsc לֵ֝֗ב 𐤋𐤁 lev understanding HNcmsa וְ/אָ֣מְרָה 𐤅/𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤄 veamerah she says HC/Vqq3fs לּֽ/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo to him HR/Sp3ms

waters stolen are sweet and bread secret is pleasant

17 מַֽיִם 𐤌𐤉𐤌 mayim Amanzi (Zulu) waters HNcmpa גְּנוּבִ֥ים 𐤂𐤍𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤌 genuvim stolen HVqsmpa יִמְתָּ֑קוּ 𐤉𐤌𐤕𐤒𐤅 yimetaqu are sweet HVqi3mp וְ/לֶ֖חֶם 𐤅/𐤋𐤇𐤌 velechem and bread HC/Ncbsc סְתָרִ֣ים 𐤎𐤕𐤓𐤉𐤌 setarim secret HNcmpa יִנְעָֽם 𐤉𐤍𐤏𐤌 yineam is pleasant HVqi3ms

but he does not know that the dead there in the depths of Sheol her guests

18 וְֽ/לֹא 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo but he does not HC/Tn יָ֭דַע 𐤉𐤃𐤏 yada know HVqp3ms כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki that HC רְפָאִ֣ים 𐤓𐤐𐤀𐤉𐤌 refaim the dead HNcmpa שָׁ֑ם 𐤔𐤌 sham there HD בְּ/עִמְקֵ֖י 𐤁/𐤏𐤌𐤒𐤉 beimeqey in the depths of HR/Ncmpc שְׁא֣וֹל 𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤋 sheol Sheol HNp קְרֻאֶֽי/הָ 𐤒𐤓𐤀𐤉/𐤄 qerueyha her guests HVqsmpc/Sp3fs

← Chapter 8 Chapter 10 →