Wisdom calls aloud in the street
She raises her voice in the public squares
At 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 boast
and fools hate knowledge?

I would have poured out my heart to you
And made my thoughts known to you

Seek me while you can
Or it will be too late
Then you will call to me
But I will not answer

Since you rejected me when I called
Since you ignored all my advice
And would not accept my rebuke
I in turn will laugh at your disaster

How long will you simple ones
love your simple ways?
How long will mockers boast
and fools hate knowledge?

I would have poured out my heart to you
And made my thoughts known to you

Seek me while you can!

They will call to me
But I will not answer
They will look for me
But they will not find me

They will call to me
But I will not answer
They will look for me
But they will not find me

Since they hated knowledge
And did not choose to fear the Lord
They will eat the fruit of their ways
And be filled with the fruit of their schemes

The waywardness of the simple will kill them
The complacency of fools will destroy them
Whoever listens to me will live in safety
And be at ease without fear of harm

How long will you simple ones
love your simple ways?
How long will mockers boast
and fools hate knowledge?