Warning Against Disregarding Wisdom

1:20 Wisdom96 calls out97 in the street,

she shouts loudly98 in the plazas;99

1:21 at the head of the noisy100 streets she calls,

in the entrances of the gates in the city101 she utters her words:102

1:22 “How long will you simpletons103 love naiveté?104

How long105 will mockers106 delight107 in mockery108

and fools109 hate knowledge?

1:23 If only110 you will respond111 to my rebuke,112

then113 I will pour114 out my thoughts115 to you

and116 I will make117 my words known to you.

1:24 However,118 because119 I called but you refused to listen,120

because121 I stretched out my hand122 but no one paid attention,

1:25 because123 you neglected124 all my advice,

and did not comply125 with my rebuke,

1:26 so126 I myself will laugh127 when disaster strikes you,128

I will mock when what you dread129 comes,

1:27 when what you dread130 comes like a whirlwind,131

and disaster strikes you132 like a devastating storm,133

when distressing trouble134 comes on you.

1:28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer;

they will diligently seek135 me, but they will not find me.

1:29 Because136 they hated moral knowledge,137

and did not choose to fear the Lord,138

1:30 they did not comply with my advice,

they spurned139 all my rebuke.

1:31 Therefore140 they will eat from the fruit141 of their way,142

and they will be stuffed full143 of their own counsel.

1:32 For the waywardness144 of the

simpletons will kill145 them,

and the careless ease146 of fools will destroy them.

1:33 But the one who listens147 to me will live in security,148

and will be at ease149 from the dread of harm.