Proverbs

Proverbs 1:20–23

²⁰Wisdom calls out in the street,

she lifts her voice in the square;

²¹in the main concourse^c she cries aloud,

at the city gates she makes her speech:

²²“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways?

How long will scoffers delight in their scorn

and fools hate knowledge?

²³If you had repented at my rebuke,

then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you;

I would have made my words known to you.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Wisdom	חָ֭כְמוֹת	ḥā·ḵə·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H2451 wisdom
calls out	תָּרֹ֑נָּה	tā·rōn·nāh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural	H7442 give a ringing cry
in the street	בַּח֣וּץ	ba·ḥūṣ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2351 the outside
she lifts	תִּתֵּ֥ן	tit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5414 give, put, set
her voice	קוֹלָֽהּ׃	qō·w·lāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H6963 sound, voice
in the square	בָּ֝רְחֹב֗וֹת	bā·rə·ḥō·ḇō·wṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H7339 broad open place, plaza

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
in the main	בְּרֹ֥אשׁ	bə·rōš	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head
concourse	הֹמִיּ֗וֹת	hō·mî·yō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural	H1993 murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
she cries aloud	תִּ֫קְרָ֥א	tiq·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
at the city	בָּעִ֗יר	bā·‘îr	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
gates	שְׁעָרִ֥ים	šə·‘ā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H8179 gate
she makes	תֹאמֵֽר׃	ṯō·mêr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
her speech	אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ	’ă·mā·re·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H561 something said

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
How	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
long	מָתַ֣י׀	mā·ṯay	Interrogative	H4970 when?
O simple ones	פְּתָיִם֮	pə·ṯā·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H6612 simple
will you love	תְּֽאֵהֲב֫וּ	tə·’ê·hă·ḇū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H157 love
your simple	פֶ֥תִי	p̄e·ṯî	Noun - masculine singular	H6612 simple
How long will scoffers	וְלֵצִ֗ים	wə·lê·ṣîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3887 scorn
delight	חָמְד֣וּ	ḥā·mə·ḏū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2530 desire, take pleasure in
in their scorn	לָ֭צוֹן	lā·ṣō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H3944 scorning
and fools	וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים	ū·ḵə·sî·lîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
hate	יִשְׂנְאוּ־	yiś·nə·’ū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H8130 hate
knowledge	דָֽעַת׃	ḏā·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If you had repented	תָּשׁ֗וּבוּ	tā·šū·ḇū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return
at my rebuke	לְֽת֫וֹכַחְתִּ֥י	lə·ṯō·w·ḵaḥ·tî	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8433 rebuke, correction
then surely	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
I would have poured out	אַבִּ֣יעָה	’ab·bî·‘āh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H5042 flow, spring, bubble up
my	לָכֶ֣ם	lā·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural
spirit on you	רוּחִ֑י	rū·ḥî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
I would have made	אוֹדִ֖יעָה	’ō·w·ḏî·‘āh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H3045 know
my words	דְבָרַ֣י	ḏə·ḇā·ray	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H1697 speech, word
known to you	אֶתְכֶֽם׃	’eṯ·ḵem	Direct object marker; second person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative