Invitations of wisdom and folly
1Wisdom has built her house;
she has set up9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out its seven pillars.
2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3She has sent out her servants, and she calls
from the highest point of the city,
4‘Let all who are simple come to my house!’
To those who have no sense she says,
5‘Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.’
7Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
8Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11For through wisdom9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13Folly is an unruly woman;
she is simple and knows nothing.
14She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15calling out 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 she says,
17‘Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!’
18But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.
Visdommen og dårskaben
1Visdommen har bygget et stort palads
med syv smukt udskårne søjler.
2Bordet er dækket til fest
med lækker mad og udsøgte vine.
3Tjenerne er ude at indbyde folk,
de kalder fra byens højdedrag:
4„Kom, I enfoldige mennesker,
hvis I ønsker at få indsigt.
5Kom med til visdommens fest
og smag den udsøgte vin.
6Opgiv jeres tåbelige tanker,
lær at blive vise, så I kan leve ret.”
7Det er farligt at irettesætte de hovmodige,
at undervise dem giver kun problemer.
8Hvis du prøver at belære de hovmodige, vil de hade dig,
men de vise sætter pris på en tilrettevisning.
9Vejled de vise, så bliver de endnu visere.
Undervis de kloge, og deres lærdom forøges.
10Ærefrygt for Herren fører til visdom,
at kende den hellige Gud giver forstand.
11Visdom forlænger ens levetid,
der lægges flere år til ens liv.
12Når du er vis, er det til dit eget bedste,
vrager du visdom, skader du dig selv.
13Dårskab er som en trodsig kvinde,
ganske tåbelig og uden forstand.
14Hun sidder i sin gadedør og venter,
mens hun ser ud over byen.
15Hun kalder på dem, der går forbi,
mens de er fordybet i egne tanker:
16„Kom indenfor, I uvidende,
hvis I ønsker at lære noget.
17Den forbudte frugt smager bedst,
det er herligt at have hemmeligheder!”
18Den naive ved ikke, at det fører til død,
at alle hendes gæster ender i graven.
