The Call of Wisdom

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:20 in the street
  2. Proverbs 1:21 LXX, Syr., Tg. top of the walls; Vg. the head of multitudes
  3. Proverbs 1:22 naive
  4. Proverbs 1:22 naivete
  5. Proverbs 1:32 waywardness
  6. Proverbs 1:33 at ease

20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the street;
She uttereth her voice in the broad places;
21 She crieth [a]in the chief place of concourse;
At the entrance of the gates,
In the city, she uttereth her words:
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
And scoffers delight them in scoffing,
And fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof:
Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you;
I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye have refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
And would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh in the day of your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as [b]a storm,
And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind;
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me [c]diligently, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge,
And did not choose the fear of Jehovah,
30 They would none of my counsel,
They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
And be filled with their own devices.
32 For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them,
And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely,
And shall be quiet without fear of evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 Hebrew at the head of the noisy streets.
  2. Proverbs 1:27 Or, desolation
  3. Proverbs 1:28 Or, early