^20 (A)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She gives forth her voice in the square;
²¹ At the head of the noisy streets she calls out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
²² “How long, O ^(B)simple ones, will you love simplicity?
And ^(C)scoffers delight in scoffing
And ^[a]fools ^(D)hate knowledge?
²³ Turn to my reproof,
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 counsel
And were not ^(J)willing to accept my reproof;
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 earnestly but they will not find me,
²⁹ Because they ^(Q)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of Yahweh.
³⁰ They ^(R)were not willing to accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
³¹ So they shall ^(S)eat of the fruit of their way
And be ^(T)satisfied with their own devices.
³² For the ^(U)turning away of the simple will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
³³ But ^(V)he who listens to me shall dwell securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”