Proverbs 1:20–33

WISDOM’S PLEA

²⁰Wisdom calls out in the street;

she makes her voice heard in the public squares.^w

²¹She 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^x enjoy mocking

and you fools hate knowledge?^y

²³If you respond to my warning,^Bz

then I will pour out my spirit on you^aa

and teach you my words.

²⁴Since I called out and you refused,^ab

extended my hand and no one paid attention,^ac

²⁵since you neglected all my counsel^ad

and did not accept my correction,

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

I will mock when terror strikes you,

²⁷when terror strikes you like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when trouble and stress overcome you.

²⁸Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;

they will search for me, but won’t find me.^af

²⁹Because they hated knowledge,

didn’t choose to fear the Lord,^ag

³⁰were not interested in my counsel,

and rejected all my correction,^a

³¹they will eat the fruit of their way^b

and be glutted with their own schemes.^c

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

and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

³³But whoever listens to me will live securely

and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.”^e