WISDOM’S PLEA

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;

she makes her voice heard in the public squares.w

21 She cries out aboveI the commotion;

she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:

22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?

How long will you mockersx enjoy mocking

and you fools hate knowledge?y

23 If you respond to my warning,J,z

then I will pour out my spirit on youaa

and teach you my words.

24 Since I called out and you refused,ab

extended my hand and no one paid attention,ac

25 since you neglected all my counselad

and did not accept my correction,

26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.ae

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.af

29 Because they hated knowledge,

didn’t choose to fear the Lord,ag

30 were not interested in my counsel,

and rejected all my correction,a

31 they will eat the fruit of their wayb

and be glutted with their own schemes.c

32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,d

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.”e