Wisdom invites to her table
1 Wisdom has built her house
set upon seven pillars;
2 she has slaughtered her beasts,
prepared her wine and laid her table.
3 Next, she sent her servants to call
from the central square of the city,
4 “Pass by here, you who are fools.”
To the senseless she says,
5 “Come, eat and drink
of the bread and wine I have prepared.
6 Give up your foolishness and you will live;
take the straight path of discernment.”
7 He who corrects a mocker gains insults; and he who reprimands an evildoer receives abuse.
8 Do not rebuke the mocker lest he hate you, but counsel the wise who will be grateful.
9 Give to the wise man and he will become wiser each day; teach an upright man and he will increase his wisdom.
10 Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom and to know the Holy One brings discernment.
11 Then I will multiply your days and increase your years of life.
12 If you are wise your wisdom will work to your advantage, but if you mock you alone will be harmed.
13 Lady Foolishness is impetuous, a simpleton who knows no thing.
14 She sits at the door of her house, on a throne in the central square of the city,
15 to invite all passersby, “Come here, whoever is ignorant.”
16 To the foolish she says,
17 “Stolen waters are sweet and pilfered bread is the tastiest.”
18 But he does not see the Shadow world lying there; nor realize that its guests are heading towards the abyss of death.
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Comments Proverbs, Chapter 9
• 9.1 We will easily discover the image of Christ in these few verses. Wisdom is the image of the Son of God.
We find the invitation to the banquet in Mat thew 22:4. Rich and poor, sensible and foolish people, all are called to change their lives.
The bread and the wine which Wisdom gives will one day be the body and blood of Christ (see Jn 6).
God is always present in our lives; he gives him self and nourishes us. We are invited to open our hands to take what he offers. Each day, he gives us what we need to solve the problems of humanity now.