Font Size
Proverbs 1:20-30
New International Version
Proverbs 1:20-30
New International Version
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(A)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(B) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(C) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(D) to listen when I call(E)
and no one pays attention(F) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(G) when disaster(H) strikes you;
I will mock(I) when calamity overtakes you(J)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(K) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
Proverbs 1:20-30
New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 1:20-30
New American Standard Bible
Wisdom Warns
20 (A)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She [a]raises her voice in the public square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she declares her sayings:
22 “How long, you (B)naive ones, will you love simplistic thinking?
And how long will (C)scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools (D)hate knowledge?
23 Turn to my rebuke,
Behold, I will (E)pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because (F)I called and you (G)refused,
I (H)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you (I)neglected all my advice
And did not (J)want my rebuke;
26 I will also (K)laugh at your (L)disaster;
I will mock when your (M)dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your disaster comes like a (N)whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will (O)call on me, but I will not answer;
They will (P)seek me diligently but will not find me,
29 Because they (Q)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They (R)did not accept my advice,
They disdainfully rejected every rebuke from me.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:20 Lit gives
Proverbs 1:20-30
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Proverbs 1:20-30
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Wisdom in Person Gives a Warning[a]
20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the open squares she raises her voice;(A)
21 Down the crowded ways she calls out,
at the city gates she utters her words:
22 [b]“How long, you naive ones, will you love naivete,
23 How long will you turn away at my reproof?
[The arrogant delight in their arrogance,
and fools hate knowledge.]
Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit,
I will acquaint you with my words:
24 ‘Because I called and you refused,
extended my hand and no one took notice;(B)
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
and my reproof you ignored—
26 I, in my turn, will laugh at your doom;
will mock when terror overtakes you;
27 When terror comes upon you like a storm,
and your doom approaches like a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish befall you.’
28 Then they will call me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me, but will not find me,
29 Because they hated knowledge,
and the fear of the Lord they did not choose.
30 They ignored my counsel,
they spurned all my reproof;
Footnotes
- 1:20–33
Wisdom is personified as in chaps. 8 and 9:1–6. With divine authority she proclaims the moral order, threatening to leave to their own devices those who disregard her invitation. All three speeches of Woman Wisdom have common features: a setting in city streets; an audience of simple or naive people; a competing appeal (chap. 7 is the competing appeal for chap. 8); an invitation to a relationship that brings long life, riches, repute.
The structure of the speeches is: A: setting (vv. 20–21); B: Wisdom’s withdrawal, rebuke and announcement (vv. 22–23); reason and rejection I (vv. 24–27); reason and rejection II (vv. 28–31); summary (v. 32); C: the effects of Wisdom’s presence (v. 33). Wisdom’s opening speech is an extended threat ending with a brief invitation (v. 33). Her second speech is an extended invitation ending with a brief threat (8:36). The surprisingly abrupt and harsh tone of her speech is perhaps to be explained as a response to the arrogant words of the men in the previous scene (1:8–19).
- 1:22–23 There is textual confusion. Verse 22bc (in the third person) is an addition, interrupting vv. 22a and 23a (in the second person). The addition has been put in brackets, to separate it from the original poem. The original verses do not ask for a change of heart but begin to detail the consequences of disobedience to Wisdom.
Proverbs 1:20-30
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Proverbs 1:20-30
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Call of Wisdom
20 Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
21 At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
25 and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
27 when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
Proverbs 1:20-30
Good News Translation
Proverbs 1:20-30
Good News Translation
Wisdom Calls
20 (A)Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and marketplaces, 21 calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:
22 “Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn? 23 Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. 24 I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. 25 You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you. 26 So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will make fun of you when terror strikes— 27 when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery. 28 Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me. 29 You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord. 30 You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you.
Read full chapter
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.