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Prologue

Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

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The Beginning of Knowledge

The (A)proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

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21 On a busy corner[a] she cries out,
    at the entrances of the gates in the city, she speaks her sayings:
22 How long,[b] O simple ones, will you love simplicity?
    And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing,
    and fools hate knowledge?
23 May you turn to my argument![c]
    Behold, I shall pour out my spirit upon you;
    I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I called out and you refused me,
    I stretched out my hand, yet there is none who heeds.
25 You have ignored all my counsel,
    and my reproof you are not willing to accept.
26 I will also laugh at your calamity;[d]
    I will mock when panic[e] comes upon you.
27 When your panic comes like a storm,
    and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you,
28 then they will call[f] me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but not find me.
29 Since they hated knowledge,
    and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 they were not willing to accept my counsel,
    they despised all my reproof.
31 They shall eat from the fruit of their way,
    and they shall be sated from their own schemes,
32 for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 Whoever listens to me will dwell in security
    and rest securely[g] from dread and disaster.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 Literally “head of commotion,” or “head of stirring, bustling”
  2. Proverbs 1:22 Literally “Until when”
  3. Proverbs 1:23 Or “turn at my reproach”
  4. Proverbs 1:26 Or “downfall”
  5. Proverbs 1:26 Or “dread, fear”
  6. Proverbs 1:28 Or “cry out to
  7. Proverbs 1:33 Or “be at ease, peace”

21 She cries out in the [a]chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “How long, you [b]simple ones, will you love [c]simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely (A)I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 (B)Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you (C)disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 (D)I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When (E)your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “Then(F) they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they (G)hated knowledge
And did not (H)choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (I)They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore (J)they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the [d]turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell (K)safely,
And (L)will be [e]secure, without fear of evil.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 LXX, Syr., Tg. top of the walls; Vg. the head of multitudes
  2. Proverbs 1:22 naive
  3. Proverbs 1:22 naivete
  4. Proverbs 1:32 waywardness
  5. Proverbs 1:33 at ease