Portrait of a Fool

²²“How long, O asimple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will bscoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools chate knowledge?

²³If you turn at my reproof,1

behold, I will dpour out my spirit to you;

I will make my words known to you.

²⁴eBecause I have called and fyou refused to listen,

have gstretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

²⁵because you have hignored all my counsel

and iwould have none of my reproof,

²⁶I also jwill laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when kterror strikes you,

²⁷when terror strikes you like la storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

²⁸mThen they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

²⁹Because they chated knowledge

and ndid not choose the fear of the Lord,

³⁰hwould have none of my counsel

and idespised all my reproof,

³¹therefore they shall eat othe fruit of their way,

and have ptheir fill of their own devices.

³²For the simple are killed by qtheir turning away,

and rthe complacency of fools destroys them;

³³but swhoever listens to me will dwell secure

and will be tat ease, without dread of disaster.”