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.
智慧和愚昧
1智慧建造她的房屋，
她凿出七根柱子。
2她宰了牲口，
调了美酒，
设了宴席，
3派婢女出去邀请宾客，
自己在城中高处呼喊：
4“愚昧人啊，到这里来吧！”
她又对无知者说：
5“来吃我做的饭，
喝我调的酒吧！
6你们要抛弃愚昧，就能存活，
要转向悟性之道。”
7纠正嘲讽者，必自招羞辱；
责备恶人，必自招伤害。
8不要责备嘲讽者，免得他恨你；
要责备智者，他必爱你。
9教导智者，他就更有智慧；
指教义人，他就更有见识。
10智慧始于敬畏耶和华，
认识至圣者便是明智。
11智慧可增添你的年日，
加添你的寿数。
12人有智慧，自得益处；
人好嘲讽，自食恶果。
13愚昧的女人喧嚷，蒙昧，无知。
14她坐在自己的家门口，
坐在城中高处的座位上，
15招呼着匆匆前行的过客：
16“愚昧人啊，到这里来吧！”
她又对无知者说：
17“偷来的水甜，偷来的饼香。”
18他们却不知她那里亡魂憧憧，
她的客人已落在阴间的深处。
