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Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

Wisdom calls aloud in the street,

she raises her voice in the public squares;

at the head of the noisy streets she cries out

in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?

 How long will mockers delight in mockery

        and fools hate knowledge?

 If you had responded to my rebuke,

   I would have poured out my heart to you

   and made my thoughts known to you.

But since you rejected me when I called

   and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

since you ignored all my advice

   and would not accept my rebuke,

I in turn will laugh at your disaster;

   I will mock when calamity overtakes you -

When calamity overtakes you like a storm,

   when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,

   when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

Then they will call to me but I will not answer;

   they will look for me but will not find me.

Since they hated knowledge

   and did not choose to fear the LORD,

since they would not accept my advice

   and spurned my rebuke,

they will eat the fruit of their ways

   and be filled with the fruits of their schemes.

For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,

   and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease,

   without fear of harm."

(Proverbs 1:20-33)