The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Wisdom has made her house, putting up her seven pillars.
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Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it.
2 She has put her fat beasts to death; her wine is mixed, her table is ready.
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She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and set the table.
3 She has sent out her women-servants; her voice goes out to the highest places of the town, saying,
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She has sent her servant women to call out from the highest place in town:
4 Whoever is simple, let him come in here; and to him who has no sense, she says:
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"Come in, ignorant people!" And to the foolish she says,
5 Come, take of my bread, and of my wine which is mixed.
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"Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed.
6 Give up the simple ones and have life, and go in the way of knowledge.
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Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge."
7 He who gives teaching to a man of pride gets shame for himself; he who says sharp words to a sinner gets a bad name.
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If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt.
8 Do not say sharp words to a man of pride, or he will have hate for you; make them clear to a wise man, and you will be dear to him.
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Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you.
9 Give teaching to a wise man, and he will become wiser; give training to an upright man, and his learning will be increased.
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Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge.
10 The fear of the Lord is the start of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One gives a wise mind
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To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding.
11 For by me your days will be increased, and the years of your life will be long.
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Wisdom will add years to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if your heart is full of pride, you only will have the pain of it.
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You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.
13 The foolish woman is full of noise; she has no sense at all.
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Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman.
14 Seated at the door of her house, in the high places of the town,
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She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of town,
15 Crying out to those who go by, going straight on their way, she says:
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and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business:
16 Whoever is simple, let him come in here: and to him who is without sense, she says:
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"Come in, ignorant people!" To the foolish she says,
17 Drink taken without right is sweet, and food in secret is pleasing.
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"Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better."
18 But he does not see that the dead are there, that her guests are in the deep places of the underworld.
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Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.