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The Call of Lady Wisdom

20 Wisdom calls out in the streets,
    in the squares she raises her voice.
21 On a busy corner[a] she cries out,
    at the entrances of the gates in the city, she speaks her sayings:
22 How long,[b] O simple ones, will you love simplicity?
    And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing,
    and fools hate knowledge?
23 May you turn to my argument![c]
    Behold, I shall pour out my spirit upon you;
    I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I called out and you refused me,
    I stretched out my hand, yet there is none who heeds.
25 You have ignored all my counsel,
    and my reproof you are not willing to accept.
26 I will also laugh at your calamity;[d]
    I will mock when panic[e] comes upon you.
27 When your panic comes like a storm,
    and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you,
28 then they will call[f] me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but not find me.
29 Since they hated knowledge,
    and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 they were not willing to accept my counsel,
    they despised all my reproof.
31 They shall eat from the fruit of their way,
    and they shall be sated from their own schemes,
32 for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 Whoever listens to me will dwell in security
    and rest securely[g] from dread and disaster.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 Literally “head of commotion,” or “head of stirring, bustling”
  2. Proverbs 1:22 Literally “Until when”
  3. Proverbs 1:23 Or “turn at my reproach”
  4. Proverbs 1:26 Or “downfall”
  5. Proverbs 1:26 Or “dread, fear”
  6. Proverbs 1:28 Or “cry out to
  7. Proverbs 1:33 Or “be at ease, peace”

Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice 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, foolish 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 turning away 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 free from the fear of danger.”(P)

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Footnotes

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

My child, be attentive to my wisdom,
    and to my understanding incline your ear;
in order to keep prudence,
    and knowledge will guard your lips.

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Avoid Seduction

My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen closely[a] to my understanding(A)
so that you may maintain discretion
and your lips safeguard knowledge.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:1 Lit wisdom; stretch out your ear

Commandment and Instruction as Guardians

20 My child, keep the commandment of your father,
    and do not disregard the instruction of your mother.
21 Bind them on your heart continually;
    tie them upon your neck.
22 When you walk,[a] she[b] will lead you,
    When you lie down,[c] she will watch over you,
    and when you awake, she will converse with you.
23 For like a lamp is a commandment, and instruction is light,
    and the way of life[d] is the reproof of discipline,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:22 Literally “In your walking”
  2. Proverbs 6:22 That is, “commandment” and “instruction”
  3. Proverbs 6:22 Literally “In your lying down”
  4. Proverbs 6:23 Hebrew “lives”

Warning against Adultery

20 My son, keep your father’s command,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.(A)
21 Always bind them to your heart;
tie them around your neck.(B)
22 When you walk here and there, they will guide you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
when you wake up, they will talk to you.
23 For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,(C)
and corrective discipline is the way to life.(D)

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Warning Against the Strange Woman

My child, guard my sayings;
    store my commandments with you.
Keep my commands and live,
    and my teaching like the apple of your eye.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:2 A single word meaning “pupil of the eye”

My son, obey my words,
and treasure my commands.(A)
Keep my commands and live;(B)
protect my teachings
as the pupil of your eye.(C)

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31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but a tongue of perversity will be cut off.

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31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,(A)
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.(B)

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14 Where there is no guidance, a nation[a] shall fall,
    but there is safety in an abundance of counsel.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:14 Or “people”

14 Without guidance, people fall,
but with many counselors there is deliverance.(A)

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The thoughts of the righteous are[a] just;
    the advice of the wicked is treacherous.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:5 Hebrew “is”

The thoughts of the righteous are just,
but guidance from the wicked leads to deceit.

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26 A righteous person will seek out his neighbor,
    but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.

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26 A righteous man is careful in dealing with his neighbor,[a]
but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:26 Or man guides his neighbor

13 He who despises a word will bring destruction on himself,
    but he who respects a commandment will be rewarded.

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13 The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty,(A)
but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.(B)

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The lips of the wise will spread knowledge,
    but the heart[a] of fools, not so.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:7 Or “mind”

The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge,
but not so the heart of fools.

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22 Plans go wrong when there is no counsel,
    but with many advisors it will succeed.

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22 Plans fail when there is no counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.(A)

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20 Listen to advice and accept instruction
    so that you will gain wisdom for your future.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:20 Literally “after things

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:20 Lit in your end