Reading for October 18th

 Read Proverbs 1.20-33. In 1.20-33: The consequences of not heeding Wisdom. Woman Wisdom warns the simple (who seem to have previously rejected her teaching) that she will not be there when the inevitable disaster comes upon them (vv. 22-32). She nonetheless gives them a last chance to accept her (v. 33). Verses 24-27 and 28-31 are parallel sections. Each gives a reason (because, vv. 25, 29) and announces a disaster, the first section employs the grammatical second person, and the second section employs the grammatical third person. In verses 20-21: The entrance of the city gates is the entrance to the upper city, which was the place of business and government. In verses 22-23a: The best solution to the textual confusion is to drop v. 22b-c as a later insertion and to translate: How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? Its parallel verse is best rendered (differently from the NRSV) "Will you turn away from my reproof?" The translation "Turn away" is preferable to NRSV give heed to and is based on the meaning of the same root in v. 32a (waywardness) and on Hebrew idiom. Comments or Questions..