Proverbs 9 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Wisdom hath built her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars;
1 Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.
2 she hath slaughtered her cattle, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also prepared her table;
2 She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.
3 she hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the summits of the high places of the city,
3 She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. To him that is void of understanding, she saith,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
5 Come, eat ye of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled.
5 “Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!
6 Forsake follies and live, and go in the way of intelligence.
6 Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”
7 He that instructeth a scorner getteth to himself shame; and he that reproveth a wicked [man] [getteth] to himself a blot.
7 One who corrects a mocker invites insult. One who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise [man], and he will love thee.
8 Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.
9 Impart to a wise [man], and he will become yet wiser; teach a righteous [man], and he will increase learning.
9 Instruct a wise person, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous person, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is intelligence.
10 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.
12 If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it.
13 The foolish woman is clamorous; she is stupid, and knoweth nothing.
13 The foolish woman is loud, undisciplined, and knows nothing.
14 And she sitteth at the entry of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 to call passers-by who go right on their ways:
15 to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. And to him that is void of understanding she saith,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant.
17 “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; [that] her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 16:18; Revelation 3:12; Galatians 2:9; 1 Peter 2:5–6; Ephesians 2:20–22
- 2 Matthew 22:3–14; Isaiah 25:6; Luke 14:16–17; Proverbs 9:5; Proverbs 23:30
- 3 Proverbs 9:14; Proverbs 8:1–3; Matthew 22:3–4; Psalm 68:11; Proverbs 1:20–23
- 4 Proverbs 6:32; Matthew 11:25; Proverbs 8:5; Proverbs 9:16; Revelation 22:17
- 5 John 6:27; Song of Songs 5:1; Proverbs 9:17; Jeremiah 31:12–14; Matthew 26:26–28
- 6 Proverbs 13:20; Proverbs 4:11; Luke 13:24; 2 Corinthians 6:17; Proverbs 4:14–15
- 7 Proverbs 15:12; Proverbs 23:9; 2 Chronicles 36:16; 2 Chronicles 25:15–16; 2 Chronicles 24:20–22
- 8 Proverbs 13:18; Psalm 141:5; Proverbs 23:9; Proverbs 15:12; Proverbs 29:1
- 9 Proverbs 1:5; 1 John 5:13; Matthew 13:11–12; Proverbs 25:12; 1 John 2:20–21
- 10 Psalm 111:10; Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Proverbs 2:5
- 11 Proverbs 10:27; Proverbs 3:2; Proverbs 3:16; Deuteronomy 6:2
- 12 Job 22:2–3; Ezekiel 18:20; 2 Peter 3:3–4; Job 22:21; Proverbs 16:26
- 13 Proverbs 7:11; Proverbs 5:6; Proverbs 21:19; 1 Timothy 6:4; Proverbs 21:9
- 14 Proverbs 9:3; Proverbs 7:10–12
- 15 Proverbs 7:25–27; Proverbs 23:27–28; Proverbs 7:13–15
- 16 Proverbs 9:4
- 17 Proverbs 20:17; Proverbs 23:31–32; Proverbs 30:20; James 1:14–15; Genesis 3:6
- 18 Proverbs 7:27; Proverbs 2:18–19; Proverbs 5:5; Psalm 82:5; Proverbs 1:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Now, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;" the sense of sin leads to repentance, and God bestows His compassion upon those who are penitent.
Woe, woe, by what steps was I dragged down "to the depths of hell!" --toiling and turmoiling through want of Truth, when I sought after Thee, my God,--to Thee I confess it, who hadst mercy on me when I had not yet confessed,--sought after Thee not according to the understanding of the mind, in which Thou desiredst that I should …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
With respect to the star, we have said these things, and yet more perhaps may be said by you; for, it is said, "Give occasion to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser:" but we must now come to the beginning of what hath been read.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Again, we call "beginning" the essential and first part from which a thing proceeds, such as the foundation of a house, the keel of a vessel; it is in this sense that it is said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," that is to say that piety is, as it were, the groundwork and foundation of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)
I came upon that bold woman, who "is simple, and knoweth nothing," the enigma of Solomon, sitting "at the door of the house on a seat," and saying, "Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant." This woman seduced me, because she found my soul beyond its portals, dwelling in the eye of my flesh, and thinking …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)