Proverbs 1:20-33
World English Bible
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.”
Footnotes
- 1:23 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Proverbs 1:20-33
New King James Version
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.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:20 in the street
- Proverbs 1:21 LXX, Syr., Tg. top of the walls; Vg. the head of multitudes
- Proverbs 1:22 naive
- Proverbs 1:22 naivete
- Proverbs 1:32 waywardness
- Proverbs 1:33 at ease
Proverbs 9:13-18
World English Bible
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]
Footnotes
- 9:18 Sheol is the place of the dead.
Proverbs 9:13-18
New King James Version
The Way of Folly
13 (A)A foolish woman is [a]clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing.
14 For she sits at the door of her house,
On a seat (B)by the highest places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by,
Who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever(C) is [b]simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen(D) water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that (E)the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of [c]hell.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 9:13 boisterous
- Proverbs 9:16 naive
- Proverbs 9:18 Or Sheol
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
