Proverbs 9 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

The Way of Wisdom

Pro 9:1

Pro 9:1Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.

Pro 9:2

Pro 9:2She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.

Pro 9:3

Pro 9:3She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,

Pro 9:4

Pro 9:4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,

Pro 9:5

Pro 9:5“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.

Pro 9:6

Pro 9:6Leave your simple ways,[fn] and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”

Pro 9:7

Pro 9:7Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

Pro 9:8

Pro 9:8Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Pro 9:9

Pro 9:9Give instruction[fn] to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

Pro 9:10

Pro 9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Pro 9:11

Pro 9:11For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.

Pro 9:12

Pro 9:12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

Pro 9:13

Pro 9:13The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive[fn] and knows nothing.

Pro 9:14

Pro 9:14She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,

Pro 9:15

Pro 9:15calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,

Pro 9:16

Pro 9:16“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,

Pro 9:17

Pro 9:17“Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

Pro 9:18

Pro 9:18But he does not know that the dead[fn] are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

ESV Footnotes

(9:6)

Or Leave the company of the simple

(9:9)

Hebrew lacks instruction

(9:13)

Or full of simpleness

(9:18)

Hebrew Rephaim

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For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.