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 (New Century Version)
-or-
Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom (New International Version)
-or-
Wisdom’s invitation to people to listen to her advice

Paragraph 1:20–21

The four lines of these two verses are parallel. The way Wisdom gives her speech is described as: “calls out,” “lifts her voice,” “cries aloud,” and “makes her speech.” All of these phrases refer to the same action.

The four places where Wisdom speaks also overlap, since they are all places where crowds of people would be located. The public square was located inside the entrance to the city gates, and the streets of the city spread out from the gates.

The two verses are also arranged chiastically. In 1:20a–b, Wisdom’s location occurs at the end of each clause. In 1:21a–b, her location occurs at the beginning of each clause.

See the General Comment on 1:20–21 at the end of 1:21a–b for a way to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts of both verses.

1:20

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

20a
Wisdom calls out in the street,

20b
she lifts her voice in the square ;

1:20a–b

Wisdom…she: In this section Wisdom is personified as a woman. This may be partly because the word translated “wisdom” here is a feminine noun in Hebrew. Identifying Wisdom as a woman also provides a contrast with the adulterous woman in later chapters.

In some languages, a literal translation of this personification may be difficult to understand. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Change the personification to a simile. For example:

Wisdom is like a woman shouting in the street (New Century Version)

• In some cultures, people might consider it offensive to refer to wisdom as a “woman who calls out in the streets,” because only rude or immoral women do that. In languages with gender-neutral pronouns, it is also impossible to specify the feminine pronoun “she.” In either of these cases, you may be able to refer to wisdom in a general way (not specifically male or female). For example:

The one whose name is Wisdom calls out in the streets. He/She/It speaks in a loud voice…

If you choose this solution, make sure that the translation does not refer to an actual person with the name Wisdom.

• In some languages, it may be possible to use a capital letter or a proper name marker for Wisdom.

• It may also be possible to use a respectful title for a woman. For example:

Mother Wisdom (UBS Handbook)

If the personification is still not clear in your language, you may want to add a footnote. A suggested footnote is:

In 1:20–21 wisdom is described as a woman who has something important to say to people. Her speech is in 1:22–33.

calls out…lifts her voice: These two expressions would be appropriate for an open-air preacher who wants his message to be heard. The term(s) you choose should not indicate shouting, such as the shouting of a drunk or angry person.

in the street…in the square:
The phrase in the street refers to the outdoors, in contrast to inside the house, where the father was instructing his son. The phrase, in the square refers to wide areas inside the gates of a walled city. These areas were used for public gatherings, for buying and selling, and for settling disputes. Other ways to translate this phrase include:

marketplaces (Good News Translation)
-or-
public places (Revised English Bible)
-or-
wherever crowds gather (Contemporary English Version)

The Contemporary English Version expression is good because it makes explicit the function of a public square in this context.

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