Mishlei 09-13
Invitation to Ignorance
[Pesukim 9:13 thru 9:18]
Key Concepts
In the first segment of this chapter (09-01) Mishlei presented us with the metaphor of a female spirit that graciously invites mankind to participate in the gift of Wisdom. He then demonstrated (in segment 09-02) that not everyone is ready to respond to such a kind invitation. In fact, the scoffers and instigators are happy to reject it because they hate it.
Now, in the final segment of the chapter, Mishlei presents us with the metaphor of Ignorance, a foolish woman who is the mirror-image of Wisdom. She invites mankind to neglect wisdom and enjoy the illusory benefits of ignorance. She fails to warn her guests that if they accept her invitation, they will be facing their doom.
Exploring Mishlei
In contrast to the woman of Wisdom, who took great pains to prepare her home and set her table to receive her guests, the woman of Ignorance spends her time in idle chatter. She positions herself where everyone can see her and she calls out to passersby with rude remarks, denigrating wisdom because it interferes with sensual pleasure. Her foolish advice is to suppress self-discipline and encourage permissiveness. After all, she says, “stolen water is sweet.”
יג = אֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת הֹמִיָּה פְּתַיּוּת וּבַל יָדְעָה מָּה
יד = וְיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ עַל כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת
טו = לִקְרֹא לְעֹבְרֵי דָרֶךְ הַמְיַשְּׁרִים אֹרְחוֹתָם
טז = מִי פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה וַחֲסַר לֵב וְאָמְרָה לּוֹ
יז = מַיִם גְּנוּבִים יִמְתָּקוּ וְלֶחֶם סְתָרִים יִנְעָם
יח = וְלֹא יָדַע כִּי רְפָאִים שָׁם בְּעִמְקֵי שְׁאוֹל קְרֻאֶיהָ
(13) The woman of foolishness chatters ignorantly. She does not even know what she is saying.
(14) She sits immodestly at the door of her house on a chair at the city heights
(15) to call out to the passersby, who are trying to straighten out their ways.
(16) She calls to them saying, “Whoever is unlearned, let him turn here!” And as for the one who lacks self-discipline, she says to him:
(17) “Stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasing.”
(18) The innocent invitee does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the netherworld.
Learning Mishlei
יג = אֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת הֹמִיָּה פְּתַיּוּת וּבַל יָדְעָה מָּה
(13) The woman of foolishness — אֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת
chatters ignorantly and incessantly — הֹמִיָּה פְּתַיּוּת.
Her chatter has no real purpose for she herself
does not fully know what she is saying — וּבַל יָדְעָה מָּה.
יד = וְיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ עַל כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת
(14) In contrast to Wisdom, she doesn’t make an effort
to prepare herself, but carries on where she happens to be.
She sits immodestly at the door of her house — וְיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ,
on a chair at the city heights — עַל כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת
where all can see her. She uses no “maidens”
to transmit wisdom and she has set no table
to welcome seekers of knowledge.
In her foolishness, she thinks she has
no need to be modest and reserved.
טו = לִקְרֹא לְעֹבְרֵי דָרֶךְ הַמְיַשְּׁרִים אֹרְחוֹתָם
(15) She sits there to call out to the passersby — לִקְרֹא לְעֹבְרֵי דָרֶךְ,
who are still confused about their spiritual direction
and are trying to straighten out their ways — הַמְיַשְּׁרִים אֹרְחוֹתָם.
טז = מִי פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה וַחֲסַר לֵב וְאָמְרָה לּוֹ
(16) She calls to them saying, “Whoever is unlearned, — מִי פֶתִי
let him turn here —יָסֻר הֵנָּה
He will be comfortable among those of us who disdain wisdom.”
She says there is no value in the abstract rules of morality.
They only interfere with sensual pleasure.
As for the one who lacks self-discipline — חֲסַר לֵב,
she says to him —אָמְרָה לּוֹ:
יז = מַיִם גְּנוּבִים יִמְתָּקוּ וְלֶחֶם סְתָרִים יִנְעָם
(17) “Stolen water is sweet — מַיִם גְּנוּבִים יִמְתָּקוּ,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasing — וְלֶחֶם סְתָרִים יִנְעָם.”
In contrast to the meat and wine offered to the guests of Wisdom,
the guests of Ignorance won’t get much real pleasure from the stolen
bread and water, but it will seem sweet because of the underhanded
way in which they acquired it.
יח = וְלֹא יָדַע כִּי רְפָאִים שָׁם בְּעִמְקֵי שְׁאוֹל קְרֻאֶיהָ
(18) But the one who listens to her
does not know that the dead are there — וְלֹא יָדַע כִּי רְפָאִים שָׁם,
in the depths of the netherworld — בְּעִמְקֵי שְׁאוֹל
is where her guests end up — קְרֻאֶיהָ
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