Proverbs 1:20–33

The Call of Wisdom

^20yWisdom cries aloud in the street,

in the markets she raises her voice;

²¹at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;

at ^zthe entrance of the city gates she speaks:

²²“How long, O ^asimple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will ^bscoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools ^chate knowledge?

²³If you turn at my reproof,¹

behold, I will ^dpour out my spirit to you;

I will make my words known to you.

^24eBecause I have called and ^fyou refused to listen,

have ^gstretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

²⁵because you have ^hignored all my counsel

and ⁱwould have none of my reproof,

²⁶I also ^jwill laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when ^kterror strikes you,

²⁷when terror strikes you like ^la storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

^28mThen they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

²⁹Because they ^chated knowledge

and ⁿdid not choose the fear of the Lord,

^30hwould have none of my counsel

and ⁱdespised all my reproof,

³¹therefore they shall eat ^othe fruit of their way,

and have ^ptheir fill of their own devices.

³²For the simple are killed by ^qtheir turning away,

and ^rthe complacency of fools destroys them;

³³but ^swhoever listens to me will dwell secure

and will be ^tat ease, without dread of disaster.”