Proverbs 1:20–33

A Warning Against Turning Away From Wisdom

²⁰Wisdom calls out in the street.

She raises her voice in public places.

²¹At 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?

²³Suppose 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.

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

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

²⁵You turned away from all my advice.

You wouldn’t accept my warning.

²⁶So I will laugh at you when you are in danger.

I will make fun of you when hard times come.

²⁷I will laugh when hard times hit you like a storm.

I will laugh when danger comes your way like a windstorm.

I will make fun of you when suffering and trouble come.

²⁸“Then you will call to me. But I won’t answer.

You will look for me. But you won’t find me.

²⁹You hated knowledge.

You didn’t choose to have respect for the Lord.

³⁰You wouldn’t accept my advice.

You turned your backs on my warnings.

³¹So you will eat the fruit of the way you have lived.

You will choke on the fruit of what you have planned.

³²“Childish people go down the wrong path. They will die.

Foolish people are satisfied with the way they live. They will be destroyed.

³³But those who listen to me will live in safety.

They will not worry. They won’t be afraid of getting hurt.”