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

Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard 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, inexperienced 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 apostasy 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 undisturbed by the dread of danger.”(P)

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Footnotes

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

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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:13 boisterous
  2. Proverbs 9:16 naive
  3. Proverbs 9:18 Or Sheol

13 Folly is a rowdy woman;(A)
she is gullible and knows nothing.(B)
14 She sits by the doorway of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who go straight ahead on their paths:(C)
16 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten secretly is tasty!” (D)
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,(E)
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.(F)

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