Proverbs 9
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Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
“If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted.
If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt.
“Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it.
But if you correct the wise, they will respect you.
“Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser.
Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge” [vs. 7-9, GNT].
Any translation of these verses conveys the truth that not everyone is open to learning, especially not learning that they are wrong. Many would rather continue in error than admit they have any room to grow.
In contrast,
“Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights” [Proverbs 18:15, MSG].
If there’s a problem, they want to know it.
If there’s something they can improve, though it might sting to admit it, they welcome the information.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” [9:10].
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” [1:9].
It’s a relationship of respect and admiration for God, a loyal adherence to His way of doing things, that provides the framework for understanding, the pattern in which things ultimately make sense. Amen.
Virginia Davidson
Artist—designing and building stained glass windows
Spokane Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church, Washington State, USA
