Loading…

Proverbs 1:20–25

The Call of Wisdom

20  yWisdom cries aloud in the street,

in the markets she raises her voice;

21  at 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?

23  If you turn at my reproof,1

behold, I will dpour out my spirit to you;

I will make my words known to you.

24  eBecause I have called and fyou refused to listen,

have gstretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

25  because you have hignored all my counsel

and iwould have none of my reproof,

Read more Explain verse



Proverbs 1:20–25 — The New International Version (NIV)

20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,

she raises her voice in the public square;

21 on top of the wall she cries out,

at the city gate she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?

How long will mockers delight in mockery

and fools hate 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 to listen when I call

and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,

25 since you disregard all my advice

and do not accept my rebuke,

Proverbs 1:20–25 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

20 Wisdom crieth without;

She uttereth her voice in the streets:

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates:

In the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?

And the scorners delight in their scorning,

And fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof:

Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,

I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,

And would none of my reproof:

Proverbs 1:20–25 — New Living Translation (NLT)

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.

She cries out in the public square.

21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,

to those gathered in front of the city gate:

22 “How long, you simpletons,

will you insist on being simpleminded?

How long will you mockers relish your mocking?

How long will you fools hate knowledge?

23 Come and listen to my counsel.

I’ll share my heart with you

and make you wise.

24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.

I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.

25 You ignored my advice

and rejected the correction I offered.

Proverbs 1:20–25 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

20 Wisdom calls aloud outside;

She raises her voice in the open squares.

21 She cries out in the chief concourses,

At the openings of the gates in the city

She speaks her words:

22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

For scorners delight in their scorning,

And fools hate knowledge.

23 Turn at my rebuke;

Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you.

24 Because I have called and you refused,

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25 Because you disdained all my counsel,

And would have none of my rebuke,

Proverbs 1:20–25 — New Century Version (NCV)

20 Wisdom is like a woman shouting in the street;

she raises her voice in the city squares.

21 She cries out in the noisy street

and shouts at the city gates:

22 “You fools, how long will you be foolish?

How long will you make fun of wisdom

and hate knowledge?

23 If only you had listened when I corrected you,

I would have told you what’s in my heart;

I would have told you what I am thinking.

24 I called, but you refused to listen;

I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.

25 You did not follow my advice

and did not listen when I corrected you.

Proverbs 1:20–25 — American Standard Version (ASV)

20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the street;

She uttereth her voice in the broad places;

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse;

At the entrance of the gates,

In the city, she uttereth her words:

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?

And scoffers delight them in scoffing,

And fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof:

Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you;

I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye have refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,

And would none of my reproof:

Proverbs 1:20–25 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

20 Wisdom crieth without; she raiseth her voice in the broadways; 21 she calleth in the chief place of concourse, in the entry of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words: 22 How long, simple ones, will ye love simpleness, and scorners take pleasure in their scorning, and the foolish hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour forth my spirit unto you, I will make known to you my words. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one regarded; 25 and ye have rejected all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

Proverbs 1:20–25 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

20 Wisdom sings her song in the streets. 

In the public squares she raises her voice. 

21 At the corners of noisy streets she calls out. 

At the entrances to the city she speaks her words, 

22 “How long will you gullible people love being so gullible? 

How long will you mockers find joy in your mocking? 

How long will you fools hate knowledge? 

23 “Turn to me when I warn you. 

I will generously pour out my spirit for you. 

I will make my words known to you. 

24 “I called, and you refused to listen. 

I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention. 

25 You ignored all my advice. 

You did not want me to warn you. 

Proverbs 1:20–25 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;

she raises her voice in the public squares.

21 She cries out above 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 enjoy mocking

and you fools hate knowledge?

23 If you respond to my warning,

then I will pour out my spirit on you

and teach you my words.

24 Since I called out and you refused,

extended my hand and no one paid attention,

25 since you neglected all my counsel

and did not accept my correction,

Proverbs 1:20–25 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

20 Wisdom cries out in the street;

in the squares she raises her voice.

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?

23 Give heed to my reproof;

I will pour out my thoughts to you;

I will make my words known to you.

24 Because I have called and you refused,

have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,

25 and because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

Proverbs 1:20–25 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

20 Wisdom calls out in the streets,

in the squares she raises her voice.

21 On a busy corner she cries out,

at the entrances of the gates in the city, she speaks her sayings:

22 “How long, 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!

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.

Proverbs 1:20–25 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

20 Wisdom calls out in the street.

She raises her voice in public places.

21 At the noisy street corners she cries out.

Here is what she says near the gates of the city.

22 “How long will you childish people love your childish ways?

How long will you rude people enjoy making fun of God and others?

How long will you foolish people hate knowledge?

23 Suppose you had paid attention to my warning.

Then I would have poured out my heart to you.

I would have told you what I was thinking.

24 But you turned away from me when I called out to you.

None of you paid attention when I reached out my hand.

25 You turned away from all my advice.

You wouldn’t accept my warning.

Proverbs 1:20–25 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

20 Wisdom shouts in the street,

She lifts her voice in the square;

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

At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:

22 How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?

And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing

And fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn to my reproof,

Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you.

24 Because I called and you refused,

I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;

25 And you neglected all my counsel

And did not want my reproof;


A service of Logos Bible Software