Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars:

Wisdom has built her house [i.e., the L-rd has built the world with wisdom]. She has carved out its seven pillars [(the seven days of creation)].

she has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine; she has also furnished her table.

She has slaughtered her slaughtering and diluted her wine and also set her table [(with all the creations, wet and dry)].

She has sent forth her maidens: she calls upon the highest places of the city, Whoever is simple, let him turn in here:

She has sent out to call [to] her young ones [Adam and Eve] on the wings of the city heights:

as for him that lacks understanding, she says to him,

"Who is a simpleton? Let him turn in here" [and gain wisdom]. [And so] will she say to him who is void of understanding.

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

"Come and eat of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have poured."

Forsake foolishness, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

"Leave [your paths], simpletons, and live, and walk in the way of understanding."

He who corrects a scorner brings shame on himself: and he who rebukes a wicked man brings on himself his blemish.

[(an exhortation against reproving inciters to idolatry:)] ([But] he who chastises the scoffer brings shame upon himself; and he who reproves the wicked one [brings upon himself] his blemish [i.e., the wicked one shames him and shuns him].)

Do not reprove a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Do not chastise the scoffer, lest he hate you. Chastise the wise man, and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Give [words of wisdom] to the wise one [(an apt disciple)] and he will become even wiser. Make known [wisdom] to the righteous one, and he will add to his acquisitions [(by his own reasoning)].

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of holy matters is understanding.

The beginning of wisdom is fear of the L-rd, and the knowledge of the holy ones is [the essence of] understanding.

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

For through me [(wisdom)] your days will increase, and they [(these days)] will add for you years of life [i.e., years of sustenance and wealth].

If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself: and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

If you have become wise, you have become wise for your own good, and if you have been a scoffer, you alone will bear [your punishment].

The woman Folly is clamorous: she is simple, and knows nothing.

The foolish woman moans foolishly, not knowing why.

For she sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city.

She sits at the door of her house, [(to scout out the passers-by)], [and] upon a chair atop the city heights

Calling out to passers by who are going straight on their ways:

to call out to the passers-by, who walk a just path.

Whoever is simple, let him turn in here: and as for him that lacks understanding, she says to him,

(Whoever is a simpleton, let him turn in here, and [whoever is] void of understanding). And thus will she say to him:

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

"Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten secretly, more pleasing" [i.e., cohabitation with a married woman is more pleasurable than that with an unmarried one.]

But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of She᾽ol.

And they [the passers-by] do not know that the shades are there, that those [who heed] her call [descend] to the depths of Sheol.