Wisdom's Rebuke

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;

on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.

But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,

since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,

I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
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 fruit 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.”