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The Importance of Proverbs

These are the ·wise words [proverbs] of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.

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The Usefulness of Proverbs

The proverbs (truths obscurely expressed, maxims) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

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21 She cries out ·in the noisy street [L at the top of the noisy throng]
    and shouts at the [L entrances of] city gates:
22 “You ·fools [simpletons; immature ones], how long will you be ·foolish [immature]?
    How long will you make ·fun of wisdom [mocking so dear to you]
    and hate knowledge?
23 If only you had ·listened [responded] when I corrected you,
    I would have ·told you what’s in my heart [L poured forth my spirit to you];
    I would have ·told you what I am thinking [L revealed my words to you].
24 I called, but you ·refused to listen [rejected me];
    I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.
25 You ·did not follow [ignored] my advice
    and did not ·listen when I corrected [want me to correct] you.
26 So I will laugh ·when you are in trouble [L at your calamity].
    I will ·make fun [ridicule you] when disaster strikes you,
27 when ·disaster [dread] comes over you like a ·storm [tempest],
    when trouble strikes you like a whirlwind,
when ·pain [distress] and ·trouble [oppression] overwhelm you.

28 “Then you will call to me,
    but I will not answer.
You will ·look for [seek] me,
    but you will not find me.
29 It is because you ·rejected [hated] knowledge
    and did not choose to ·respect [fear; hold in awe] the Lord.
30 You did not ·accept [want] my advice,
    and you rejected my correction.
31 So you will ·get what you deserve [L eat from the fruit of your path];
    you will ·get what you planned for others [or be satisfied with your own counsel].
32 ·Fools [The simple/immature] will die because they ·refuse to listen [L turn away];
    ·they [L fools] will be destroyed because ·they do not care [of complacency].
33 But those who ·listen to [obey] me will live in safety
    ·and be at peace, without fear of injury [untroubled by the dread of harm].”

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21 
She calls out at the head of the noisy streets [where large crowds gather];
At the entrance of the city gates she speaks her words:
22 
“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning?
How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing,
How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?
23 
“If you will turn and pay attention to my rebuke,
Behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.(A)
24 
“Because I called and you refused [to answer],
I stretched out my hand and no one has paid attention [to my offer];(B)
25 
And you treated all my counsel as nothing
And would not accept my reprimand,
26 
I also will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when your dread and panic come,
27 
When your dread and panic come like a storm,
And your disaster comes like a whirlwind,
When anxiety and distress come upon you [as retribution].
28 
“Then they will call upon me (Wisdom), but I will not answer;
They will seek me eagerly but they will not find me,(C)
29 
Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord [that is, obeying Him with reverence and awe-filled respect],(D)
30 
They would not accept my counsel,
And they spurned all my rebuke.
31 
“Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own [wicked] way
And be satiated with [the penalty of] their own devices.
32 
“For the turning away of the [a]naive will kill them,
And the careless ease of [self-righteous] fools will destroy them.(E)
33 
“But whoever listens to me (Wisdom) will live securely and in confident trust
And will be at ease, without fear or dread of evil.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:32 Lit simple ones.