Proverbs 9:15-18 in English

¹⁵ To call to them that pass by, Who go right on their ways:

¹⁶ Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of 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; That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ calling to passers by, and to those that are going right on their ways;

¹⁶ saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that want prudence, saying,

¹⁷ Take and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft.

¹⁸ But he knows that mighty men die by her, and he falls in with a snare of hell.

^18a But hasten away, delay not in the place, neither fix thine eye upon her:

^18b for thus shalt thou go through strange water;

^18c but do thou abstain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain,

^18d that thou mayest live long, and years of life may be added to thee.

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.

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.

¹⁵ calling to passers by, and to those that are going right on their ways;

¹⁶ saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that lack prudence, saying,

¹⁷ Take and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft.

¹⁸ But he knows that mighty men die by her, and he falls in with a snare of hell. But hasten away, delay not in the place, neither fix your eye upon her: for thus shall you go through strange water; but do you abstain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain, that you may live long, and years of life may be added to you.

¹⁵ To call to them that pass by, who go right on their ways,

¹⁶ Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that is void of 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; that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ and they call out to the men who are passing by, who are trying to be concerned with their own affairs,

¹⁶ “You people who need to understand more, come into my house!” And to those who are ignorant, they call out,

¹⁷ “ Just as water which you have stolen tastes very good and food that you eat by yourself tastes the best, if you have sex secretly with someone to whom you are not married, you will enjoy it very much.”

¹⁸ But men who go to those women's houses do not know that those who have gone there are now dead; they have descended down into the deepest parts of the place where dead people are.

¹⁵ calling to passers by, and to those that are going right on their ways;

¹⁶ saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that lack prudence, saying,

¹⁷ Take and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft.

¹⁸ But he knows that mighty men die by her, and he falls in with a snare of hell. But hasten away, delay not in the place, neither fix your eye upon her: for thus shall you go through strange water; but do you abstain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain, that you may live long, and years of life may be added to you.

¹⁵ to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ Crying out to those who go by, going straight on their way, she says:

¹⁶ Whoever is simple, let him come in here: and to him who is without sense, she says:

¹⁷ Drink taken without right is sweet, and food in secret is pleasing.

¹⁸ But he does not see that the dead are there, that her guests are in the deep places of the underworld.

¹⁵ to call passers-by who go right on their ways:

¹⁶ Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. And to him that is void of understanding she saith,

¹⁷ Stolen waters are sweet, and the bread of secrecy is pleasant.

¹⁸ But he knoweth not that the dead are there; that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ To call them that pass by the way, and go on their journey:

¹⁶ He that is a little one, let him turn to me. And to the fool she said:

¹⁷ Stolen waters are sweeter, and hid den bread is more pleasant.

¹⁸ And he did not know that giants are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

¹⁵ calling out to those passing by, going about their business,

¹⁶ “Everybody who needs to learn, come and see me!” To people who don't have any sense she says,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet, and food eaten in secret tastes good!”

¹⁸ But they don't know that the dead are there, that those she's invited are in the depths of the grave.

¹⁵ To call them that passe by the way, that go right on their way, saying,

¹⁶ Who so is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, shee sayth also,

¹⁷ Stollen waters are sweete, and hid bread is pleasant.

¹⁸ But he knoweth not, that ye dead are there, and that her ghestes are in the depth of hell.

¹⁵ To call to them that pass by, who go right on their ways:

¹⁶ 'Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither'; and as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:

¹⁷ 'Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.'

¹⁸ But he knoweth not that the shades are there; that her guests are in the depths of the nether-world.

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.

¹⁵ To call the wayfarers who go straight forward on their paths.

¹⁶ Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; and as for him that is void of sense, she saith to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread of secrecy is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he knoweth not that the departed are there; that in the depths of the nether world are her guests.

¹⁵ Calling to passers by, And to those that are going right on their ways;

¹⁶ saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; And I exhort those that want prudence, saying,

¹⁷ Take and enjoy secret bread, And the sweet water of theft.

¹⁸ But he knows that mighty men die by her, And he falls in with a snare of hell.

^18a But hasten away, delay not in the place, Neither fix thine eye upon her:

^18b For thus shalt thou go through strange water;

^18c But do thou abstain from strange water, And drink not of a strange fountain,

^18d That thou mayest live long, And years of life may be added to thee.

¹⁵ To call aloud to those that pass by, Who go straight forward in their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in hither!” And to him that is void of understanding she saith,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he considereth not that the dead are there, That in the vales of the under-world are her guests.

¹⁵ To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he does not know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol ·Place of the dead·.

¹⁵ She is calling out to those who pass by in the streets, to people walking straight on their way.

¹⁶ “Let anyone who is naive turn aside here,” she says to those who have no sense.

¹⁷ “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread of secrecy is delicious.”

¹⁸ But he does not know that the dead are there, that her invited guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ To call passengers who go right on their ways:

¹⁶ Whoever 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.

¹⁵ to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ to call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,

¹⁶ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

¹⁸ But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

¹⁵ to call men passing by the way, and men going in their journey.

¹⁶ Who is a little man in wit; bow he to me. And she spake to a coward or to the sorry-hearted,

¹⁷ Waters of theft be sweeter, and bread hid is sweeter. Stolen waters be sweeter, and hid bread more sweet.

¹⁸ And he knew not that giants be there; and the guests of her be in the depths of hell. Soothly he that shall be applied, either fastened, to her, shall go down to hells or shall fall down into hell. For why he that goeth away from her shall be saved.

¹⁵ to call men passing by the way, and men going in their journey. (to call to men passing by the way, and to men going on their journey.)

¹⁶ Who is a little man in wit; bow he to me, (or And she saith to herself, Who is a man of little intelligence; turn he unto me). And she spake to a coward, (and said),

¹⁷ Waters of theft be sweeter, and bread hid is sweeter. (Stolen water is sweeter, and hidden bread is sweeter.)

¹⁸ And he knew not that giants be there; and the guests of her be in the depths of hell. Soothly he that shall be applied, either fastened, to her, shall go down to hells. For why he that goeth away from her shall be saved. (And he knew not that death is there; and that her guests be in the depths of hell. Truly, he who shall be fastened to her, shall go down to Sheol, that is, to the land of the dead, or shall go down to hell. But he who goeth away from her, shall be saved.)

¹⁵ To call to those passing by the way, Who are going straight on their paths.

¹⁶ 'Who is simple? let him turn aside hither.' And whoso lacketh heart — she said to him,

¹⁷ 'Stolen waters are sweet, And hidden bread is pleasant.'

¹⁸ And he hath not known that Rephaim are there, In deep places of Sheol her invited ones!