Proverbs 9:14-16

9:14 So she sits at the door of her house,

on a seat at the highest point of the city,

9:15 calling out ¹  to those who are passing by her ²  in the way, ³ 

who go straight ⁴  on their way.

9:16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here,”

she says to those who lack understanding. ⁵ 

[9:15]  ¹ tn The infinitive construct “calling out” functions epexegetically in the sentence, explaining how the previous action was accomplished.

[9:15]  ² tn The term “her” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[9:15]  ³ tn The noun is a genitive of location after the construct participle. Its parallel word is also an adverbial accusative of location.

[9:15]  ⁴ tn The participle modifies the participle in the first colon. To describe the passers-by in this context as those “who go straight” means that they are quiet and unwary.

[9:16]  ¹ tn This expression is almost identical to v. 4, with the exception of the addition of conjunctions in the second colon: “and the lacking of understanding and she says to him.” The parallel is deliberate, of course, showing the competing appeals for those passing by.