OET interlinear PROV 1:28

Section 1:20–33: Wisdom warns people not to reject her advice

In this section, Wisdom is personified as a woman teacher or prophetess who publicly warns people not to reject her advice. After an introduction (1:20–21), Wisdom begins her speech. In her speech, she scolds foolish people for ignoring her teaching (1:22–27). She then describes what will happen to such people (1:28–31). She concludes her speech by contrasting the fate of fools with the happiness of those who obey her (1:32–33).

In the verses that contain Wisdom’s speech, the Notes use a capital letter for Wisdom, except where a quoted version has small letters. The Display provides more than one option. You may use either option in your language, depending on what is appropriate in each context. See the note at Section 8:1–36 for more information about using a capital letter to indicate personification.

Some other headings for this section are:

Wisdom Speaks (NCV)

Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom (NIV)

Wisdom’s invitation to people to listen to her advice

Paragraph 1:28–31

In the previous paragraph, both the Hebrew text and the English versions use “you” pronouns. These pronouns indicate that Wisdom is directly addressing the foolish people in her audience. In paragraph 1:28–31, the Hebrew text changes from “you” to “they” pronouns. There are two ways to interpret this pronoun change:

1. Some versions change from “you” to “they” pronouns. This change implies that Wisdom is now talking about the fools rather than addressing them directly. For example:

   Then they will call me… (NJB) (BSB, NIV, RSV, REB, NJB, NASB, NJPS, NET, GW, NLT)

2. Other versions continue to use “you” pronouns. This implies that Wisdom continues to speak to the fools that she addressed in 1:22–27.UBS (page 49). For example:

   Then you will call to me… (NCV) (NCV, GNT, CEV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions and scholars. Some scholars think that the change of pronouns indicates the climax of this section.Fox (page 101) and Garrett (pages 71–72) both understand 1:28 to be the center of a chiasm, though they differ on the details. The change of pronouns may also imply that Wisdom is talking about the fools to a different audience.Fox (page 101) understands that Wisdom has been addressing a hypothetical audience of fools. In 1:28 she “turns to the real audience, the reader, as she speaks about the fools and draws a lesson from their self-inflicted doom.” However, throughout this section, we have portrayed personified Wisdom as addressing an actual audience, and it is unlikely that many readers of our translations would understand a switch from a hypothetical to a real audience. This audience may be the readers of the book or the “son” mentioned in 1:8 and 1:15. It is also possible that Wisdom summarizes in her own mind what she has just announced to the fools in her audience.

In many languages, it will be necessary to indicate explicitly that Wisdom is no longer addressing the same audience. Some ways to do this are to use one or more of the following options:

• Put quotation marks at the end of 1:27.

• Supply a statement at the end of 1:27 that Wisdom is no longer addressing the same audience. For example:

  That is what Wisdom said to those foolish people.

• Start 1:28 with a clause that indicates a new quote. For example:

  Then Wisdom said, “…

• Add a footnote that explains that Wisdom is no longer addressing the same audience.

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

• ¶ Then Wisdom/she said, “Then they will call to me to help them, but I will not pay attention to them.

• ¶ Then wisdom/she said, “At that time, even though they ask for my help, I will not listen.

they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.

• They will earnestly look for me, but they will not find me.

• Even though they are diligent in looking for me, they will not find me.