⁸ Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
    and reject not your mother’s teaching;

²⁰ Wisdom cries aloud in the street;
    in the markets she raises her voice;
²¹ on the top of the walls^[a] she cries out;
    at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
²² “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools hate knowledge?
²³ Give heed^[b] to my reproof;
behold, I will pour out my thoughts^[c] to you;
    I will make my words known to you.
²⁴ Because I have called and you refused to listen,
    have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
²⁵ and you have ignored all my counsel
    and would have none of my reproof,
²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when panic strikes you,
²⁷ when panic strikes you like a storm,
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
²⁸ Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
²⁹ Because they hated knowledge
    and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
³⁰ would have none of my counsel,
    and despised all my reproof,
³¹ therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
    and be sated with their own devices.
³² For the simple are killed by their turning away,
    and the complacence of fools destroys them;
³³ but he who listens to me will dwell secure
    and will be at ease, without dread of evil.”

4 Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain^[a] insight;

⁷ He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
⁸ Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    reprove a wise man, and he will love you.