Proverbs 9

The following table shows the Hebrew text{{cite web |url=https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2809.htm |title= Proverbs – Chapter 9 |publisher=Mechon Mamre}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.9?ven=The_Holy_Scriptures:_A_New_Translation_(JPS_1917)&lang=bi |title= Proverbs 9 - JPS 1917 |publisher= Sefaria.org}} of Proverbs 9 with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=36-37}} Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q103a (4QProv{{sup|c}}; 30 BCE – 30 CE) with extant verses 16–17.{{sfn|Ulrich|2010|p=732}}Puech, Émile

[http://orion-bibliography.huji.ac.il/orion_editor/node/83738 "Identification de nouveaux manuscrits bibliques: Deutéronome et Proverbes dans les débris de la grotte 4"]. Revue de Qumran Volume: 20. pp. 121–127

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC; some extant ancient manuscripts of this version include Codex Vaticanus (B; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^A; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}

This chapter belongs to a section regarded as the first collection in the book of Proverbs (comprising Proverbs 1–9), known as "Didactic discourses".{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=406}} The Jerusalem Bible describes chapters 1–9 as a prologue of the chapters 10–22:16, the so-called "[actual] proverbs of Solomon", as "the body of the book".Jerusalem Bible (1966), Introduction to The Proverbs, p. 931

The chapter concludes the first collection or introduction of the book by presenting the final appeals of both wisdom and folly to the 'siimpletons' or naive people in the contrasting style of rival hostesses inviting people to dine in their respective houses, where 'wisdom offers life with no mention of pleasure', whereas 'folly offers pleasure with no mention of death', with the following structure:{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=411}}Note [a] on Proverbs 9:1 in NET Bible

• Appeal to accept wisdom (9:1–12)
• the invitation of wisdom (9:1–6)
• the description of the responses (9:7–11)
• the consequence (9:12)
• Appeal to accept folly (9:13–18)
• the invitation of folly (9:13–17)
• the consequence (9:18)

The invitation of Wisdom (verses 3–4) echoes the earlier appeals (cf. Proverbs 1:20–21; 8:1–5).{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=411}} It is addressed to the 'simple' or 'simpletons', that is, the people who need the most to dine with Wisdom but who can be most easily enticed to dine with Folly (cf. Proverbs 1:4).{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=411}} Food and drink (verse 5) figuratively describe Wisdom's instruction (cf. Isaiah 55:1–3; Sirach 15:3; 24:19–21).{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=411}}

:Wisdom has built her house,

::she has hewn out her seven pillars;{{bibleref2|Proverbs|9:1|MEV}} MEV

• "Seven pillars": may refer to 'the habitable world' (cf. Proverbs 8:31; the equation of the house and the world in Proverbs 8:29; Job 38:6; Psalm 104:5).Note [b] on Proverbs 9:1 in NET Bible "Seven" is regarded as 'a number for completeness and sacredness', giving the idea that wisdom produces a perfect world.

:She has sent out her maidens,

::She cries out from the highest places of the city.{{bibleref2|Proverbs|9:3|NKJV}} NKJV

Benson says personified Wisdom may be compared to "a great princess": therefore "it was fit she should be attended on by maidens".Benson, J., 1857, [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/proverbs/9.htm Benson Commentary: Proverbs 9], accessed 9 April 2021

Folly is portrayed in terms of the 'seductress', described as 'woman of foolishness' (verse 13).{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=411}} The brash manner in which Folly invites the simple to her house (verses 13–16) recalls the solicitations of the seductress (Proverbs 7:11–12) and contrasts with the formality and decorum of Wisdom's invitation..{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=411}} Whereas the banquet of Wisdom promotes and celebrates life (verse 6), to dine with Folly is to banquet with the 'dead' in Sheol (cf Proverbs 2:18–19; 5: 5–6; 7:27).{{sfn|Aitken|2007|p=412}}

:A foolish woman is clamorous;

::she is simple, and knows nothing.{{bibleref2|Proverbs|9:13|MEV}} MEV

Like Wisdom in the previous chapter, Folly is also personified as a character, called "Dame Folly" in the Jerusalem Bible, "the woman called Folly" in the New English Translation.{{bibleref2|Proverbs|9:13|NET}} NET

• In different languages, this verse is rendered as follows:Note [e] on Proverbs 9:13 in NET Bible
• The Hebrew Masoretic Text reads "The foolish woman is boisterous, simplicity, and knows not what." and the Targum translates it, “a foolish woman and a gadabout, ignorant, and she knows not good.”
• The Greek Septuagint reads "A foolish and impudent woman comes to lack a morsel, she who knows not shame."
• The Syriac version has "a woman lacking in discretion, seductive"
• The Latin Vulgate has, "a woman foolish and noisy, and full of wiles, and knowing nothing at all."
• "Clamorous": or "boisterous"Note on Proverbs 9:13 in NKJV or close to “riotous”.Note [b] on Proverbs 9:13 in NET Bible
• "Simple" or "full of simpleness",Note on Proverbs 9:13 in ESV from a Hebrew noun meaning “foolishness”.Note [c] on Proverbs 9:13 in NET Bible

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Earth
• Evil
• Longevity
• Mercy
• Mitzvah
• Prostitution
• Sexual ethics
• Sheol
• Understanding
• Wisdom
• YHWH}}
• Related Bible parts: Proverbs 1, Proverbs 2, Proverbs 7, Proverbs 8

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last= Aitken | first= K. T. | chapter = 19. Proverbs | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John| editor-last1=Barton |editor1-link = John Barton (theologian) | editor-first2=John| editor-last2= Muddiman |editor2-link = John Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press |edition= first (paperback) | date = 2007 | pages = 405–422 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ| access-date=February 6, 2019}}
• {{Cite book |last = Alter |first = Robert |title = The Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes: A Translation with Commentary |publisher = W.W. Norton & Co |year = 2010 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TujOn209Ts8C| isbn = 978-0393080735}}
• {{cite book|last= Coogan|first = Michael David| authorlink= Michael D. Coogan |title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 |editor-last1=Coogan |editor-first1=Michael David |editor-first2=Marc Zvi |editor-last2= Brettler |editor-first3=Carol Ann |editor-last3= Newsom |editor-first4= Pheme |editor-last4= Perkins |edition= Augmented 3rd |publisher = Oxford University Press |year =2007 |isbn = 9780195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}}
• {{Cite book |last = Farmer |first = Kathleen A. |chapter = The Wisdom Books |editor1-last = McKenzie |editor1-first = Steven L. |editor2-last = Graham |editor2-first = Matt Patrick |title = The Hebrew Bible Today: An Introduction to Critical Issues |publisher = Westminster John Knox Press |year = 1998 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=owwhpmIVgSAC |isbn = 978-0-66425652-4}}
• {{Cite book |last = Fox |first = Michael V. | authorlink= Michael V. Fox |title = Proverbs 10-31: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary | series= Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries |publisher = Yale University Press |year = 2009 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3IJsciPDEWoC | isbn = 978-0300155563}}
• {{cite book|last= Halley| first= Henry H.| authorlink= Henry Hampton Halley| title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)|publisher= Zondervan Publishing House |date= 1965 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zsG4oLToI7oC | isbn= 0-310-25720-4}}
• {{Cite book |last = Perdue |first = Leo G. | authorlink= |title = Proverbs Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching | series= |publisher = Presbyterian Publishing Corporation |year = 2012 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=uO0hE3D6I40C | isbn = 978-0664238841}}
• {{Cite book | editor-last = Ulrich | editor-first = Eugene | title = The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants | year = 2010 | publisher = Brill | url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls }}
• {{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | author-link = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes | isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

• Jewish translations:
• [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16380 Mishlei - Proverbs - Chapter 9 (Judaica Press)] translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Proverbs+9 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=24&chapter=9&version=9 Book of Proverbs Chapter 9 King James Version]
• {{librivox book | title=Book of Proverbs}} Various versions

{{Book of Proverbs}}

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