9:1

חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה׃

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars;

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9:2

טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ׃

She hath prepared her meat, she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

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9:3

שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא עַל־גַּפֵּי מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת׃

She hath sent forth her maidens, she calleth, upon the highest places of the city:

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9:4

מִי־פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה חֲסַר־לֵב אָמְרָה לּוֹ׃

’Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither’; as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:

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9:5

לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְלַחֲמִי וּשְׁתוּ בְּיַיִן מָסָכְתִּי׃

'Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

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9:6

עִזְבוּ פְתָאיִם וִחְיוּ וְאִשְׁרוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ בִּינָה׃

Forsake all thoughtlessness, and live; and walk in the way of understanding.

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9:7

יֹסֵר לֵץ לֹקֵחַ לוֹ קָלוֹן וּמוֹכִיחַ לְרָשָׁע מוּמוֹ׃

He that correcteth a scorner getteth to himself shame, and he that reproveth a wicked man, it becometh unto him a blot.

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9:8

אַל־תּוֹכַח לֵץ פֶּן־יִשְׂנָאֶךָּ הוֹכַח לְחָכָם וְיֶאֱהָבֶךָּ׃

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.

9:9

תֵּן לְחָכָם וְיֶחְכַּם־עוֹד הוֹדַע לְצַדִּיק וְיוֹסֶף לֶקַח׃

Give to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

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9:10

תְּחִלַּת חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהוָה וְדַעַת קְדֹשִׁים בִּינָה׃

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the All-holy is understanding.

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9:11

כִּי־בִי יִרְבּוּ יָמֶיךָ וְיוֹסִיפוּ לְּךָ שְׁנוֹת חַיִּים׃

For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

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9:12

אִם־חָכַמְתָּ חָכַמְתָּ לָּךְ וְלַצְתָּ לְבַדְּךָ תִשָּׂא׃

If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; And if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.’

9:13

אֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת הֹמִיָּה פְּתַיּוּת וּבַל־יָדְעָה מָּה׃

The woman Folly is riotous; She is thoughtless, and knoweth nothing.

9:14

וְיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ עַל־כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת׃

And she sitteth at the door of her house, On a seat in the high places of the city,

9:15

לִקְרֹא לְעֹבְרֵי־דָרֶךְ הַמְיַשְּׁרִים אֹרְחוֹתָם׃

To call to them that pass by, Who go right on their ways:

9:16

מִי־פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה וַחֲסַר־לֵב וְאָמְרָה לּוֹ׃

’Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither’; And as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:

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9:17

מַיִם־גְּנוּבִים יִמְתָּקוּ וְלֶחֶם סְתָרִים יִנְעָם׃

’Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’

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9:18

וְלֹא־יָדַע כִּי־רְפָאִים שָׁם בְּעִמְקֵי שְׁאוֹל קְרֻאֶיהָ׃

But he knoweth not that the shades are there; that her guests are in the depths of the nether-world.