The Way of Wisdom (Proverbs 1:1–7)
1 UDB Wisdom builds her own house, just like a woman who has built her home; she made seven pillars to support the roof of her house. BSB BSB: Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars.
2 UDB She prepared a meal and set her table; she prepared the animals and cooked them to serve for the dinner, and she made the wine ready for her guests. BSB BSB: She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
3 UDB Like a woman who sends out her maids to give the invitations to her guests, Wisdom calls out from the highest place in the city for all to hear, and she says, BSB BSB: She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.
4 UDB "If you are still immature, come here," and she gives the invitation to those who have no good judgment. BSB BSB: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.
5 UDB "Come and eat the food that I have prepared," she says, "and drink the good wine that I have mixed. BSB BSB: “Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 UDB Leave your untrained ways behind you, and live, and I will show you how to walk on the road that will give you understanding. BSB BSB: Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”
7 UDB If you rebuke someone who says insulting things about other people, he will also insult you. If you offer correction to an evil person, he will hurt you. BSB BSB: He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.
8 UDB A person who insults others will hate you if you tell him to stop. But if you rebuke a wise person, he will become your friend. BSB BSB: Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
9 UDB If you give instruction to a wise person, he will become even wiser. And if you teach a person who does what is right, he will learn even more. BSB BSB: Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
10 UDB The first step in getting wisdom is to give Yahweh the respect he deserves, and knowing Yahweh, the Holy One, is the where understanding comes from. BSB BSB: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 UDB If you become wise, your days will be filled full, and you will add years to your life. BSB BSB: For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
12 UDB If you become wise, you will gain many benefits from it; if you ridicule other people, you will suffer by yourself." BSB BSB: If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage; but if you scoff, you alone will bear the consequences.
The Way of Folly 13 UDB A foolish woman talks loudly; she is untaught in the subjects of wisdom and she knows very little. BSB BSB: The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing.
14 UDB She sits at the door of her house or on the highest place in the town, BSB BSB: She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city,
15 UDB and she calls out to the men who are passing by, to those walking down the road, concerned only about where they are going. BSB BSB: calling out to those who pass by, who make their paths straight.
16 UDB "Any of you who have no experience, come here," she says to those who have no good judgment. BSB BSB: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.
17 UDB "If you sleep with me, it will be as sweet as drinking water that you have stolen, or eating delicious food all by yourself." BSB BSB: “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”
18 UDB Any man who accepts her invitation does not know that the dead are in her home, that those who accepted her invitation and went into her house are now in the world of the dead. BSB BSB: But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.