1 Wisedome hath built her house, and hewen out her seuen pillars. 2 She hath killed her vitailes, drawen her wine, and prepared her table. 3 She hath sent forth her maydens and cryeth vpon the highest places of the citie, saying, 4 Who so is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, she sayth, 5 Come, and eate of my meate, and drinke of the wine that I haue drawen. 6 Forsake your way, ye foolish, and ye shall liue: and walke in the way of vnderstanding. 7 He that reproueth a scorner, purchaseth to himselfe shame: and he that rebuketh the wicked, getteth himselfe a blot. 8 Rebuke not a scorner, least he hate thee: but rebuke a wise man, and he will loue thee. 9 Giue admonition to the wise, and he will be the wiser: teache a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord, and the knowledge of holy things, is vnderstanding. 11 For thy dayes shalbe multiplied by me, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe augmented. 12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thy selfe, and if thou be a scorner, thou alone shalt suffer. 13 A foolish woman is troublesome: she is ignorant, and knoweth nothing. 14 But she sitteth at the doore of her house on a seate in the hie places of the citie, 15 To call them that passe by the way, that go right on their way, saying, 16 Who so is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, shee sayth also, 17 Stollen waters are sweete, and hid bread is pleasant. 18 But he knoweth not, that ye dead are there, and that her ghestes are in the depth of hell.
Proverbs · Geneva Bible (1599)
Proverbs 9 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
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)