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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.

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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:20 in the street
  2. Proverbs 1:21 LXX, Syr., Tg. top of the walls; Vg. the head of multitudes
  3. Proverbs 1:22 naive
  4. Proverbs 1:22 naivete
  5. Proverbs 1:32 waywardness
  6. Proverbs 1:33 at ease

My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
    Turn your ear to my understanding,
that you may maintain discretion,
    that your lips may preserve knowledge.

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The Peril of Adultery

My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
[a]Lend your ear to my understanding,
That you may [b]preserve discretion,
And your lips (A)may keep knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:1 Lit. Bow
  2. Proverbs 5:2 appreciate good judgment

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,
    and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them continually on your heart.
    Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, it will lead you.
    When you sleep, it will watch over you.
    When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp,
    and the law is light.
    Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

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Beware of Adultery

20 (A)My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 (B)Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 (C)When you roam, [a]they will lead you;
When you sleep, (D)they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 (E)For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:22 Lit. it

My son, keep my words.
    Lay up my commandments within you.
Keep my commandments and live!
    Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

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The Wiles of a Harlot

My son, keep my words,
And (A)treasure my commands within you.
(B)Keep my commands and live,
(C)And my law as the apple of your eye.

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31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

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31 (A)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.

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14 Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls,
    but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

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14 (A)Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

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The thoughts of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

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The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

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26 A righteous person is cautious in friendship,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

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26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

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13 Whoever despises instruction will pay for it,
    but he who respects a command will be rewarded.

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13 He who (A)despises the word will be destroyed,
But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.

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The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
    not so with the heart of fools.

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The lips of the wise [a]disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:7 spread

22 Where there is no counsel, plans fail;
    but in a multitude of counselors they are established.

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22 (A)Without counsel, plans go awry,
But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

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20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
    that you may be wise in your latter end.

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20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise (A)in your latter days.

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