Proverbs 1:20-33
Good News Translation
Wisdom Calls
20 (A)Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and marketplaces, 21 calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:
22 “Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn? 23 Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. 24 I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. 25 You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you. 26 So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will make fun of you when terror strikes— 27 when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery. 28 Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me. 29 You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord. 30 You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you. 31 So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick. 32 Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern. 33 But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid.”
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Proverbs 1:20-33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Call of Wisdom
20 Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.(A)
21 At the busiest corner 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?(B)
23 Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.(C)
24 Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,(D)
25 and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,(E)
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,(F)
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.(G)
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,(H)
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.(I)
32 For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;(J)
33 but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease without dread of disaster.”(K)
Proverbs 1:20-33
Complete Jewish Bible
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the open air
and raises her voice in the public places;
21 she calls out at streetcorners
and speaks out at entrances to city gates:
22 “How long, you whose lives have no purpose,
will you love thoughtless living?
How long will scorners find pleasure in mocking?
How long will fools hate knowledge?
23 Repent when I reprove —
I will pour out my spirit to you,
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because you refused when I called,
and no one paid attention when I put out my hand,
25 but instead you neglected my counsel
and would not accept my reproof;
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your distress,
and mock when terror comes over you —
27 yes, when terror overtakes you like a storm
and your disaster approaches like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble assail you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will seek me earnestly, but they won’t find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of Adonai,
30 they refused my counsel
and despised my reproof.
31 So they will bear the consequences of their own way
and be overfilled with their own schemes.
32 For the aimless wandering of the thoughtless will kill them,
and the smug overconfidence of fools will destroy them;
33 but those who pay attention to me will live securely,
untroubled by fear of misfortune.”
Proverbs 1:20-33
New International Version
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(A)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(B) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(C) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(D) to listen when I call(E)
and no one pays attention(F) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(G) when disaster(H) strikes you;
I will mock(I) when calamity overtakes you(J)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(K) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(L)
they will look for me but will not find me,(M)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(N)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(O)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(P)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(Q)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(R)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(S)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
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