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20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street.
    She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 She calls at the head of noisy places.
    At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
    How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,
    and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn at my reproof.
    Behold,[a] I will pour out my spirit on you.
    I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused;
    I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel,
    and wanted none of my reproof;
26 I also will laugh at your disaster.
    I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come on you.
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer.
    They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 because they hated knowledge,
    and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 They wanted none of my counsel.
    They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
    and be filled with their own schemes.
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.
    The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,
    and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1:23 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard in the public squares.(A)
21 She cries out above[a] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(B) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(C)
23 If you respond to my warning,[b](D)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(E)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(F)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(G)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(H)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(I)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(J)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(K)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(L)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(M)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(N)
32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,(O)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.”(P)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:21 Lit at the head of
  2. 1:23 Lit you turn back to my reprimand

13 The foolish woman is loud,
    undisciplined, and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 to call to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their ways,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.”
    as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen water is sweet.
    Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 9:18 Sheol is the place of the dead.

13 Folly is a rowdy woman;(A)
she is gullible and knows nothing.(B)
14 She sits by the doorway of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who go straight ahead on their paths:(C)
16 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten secretly is tasty!” (D)
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,(E)
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.(F)

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