Proverbs 1:20–33

Wisdom Calls

^20*Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and market places, ^21*calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:

²²“Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy pouring scorn on knowledge? Will you never learn? ²³Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. ²⁴I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. ²⁵You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you. ²⁶So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will mock you when terror strikes- ²⁷when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery. ²⁸Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me. ²⁹You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord. ³⁰You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you. ³¹So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick. ³²Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern. ³³But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid.”