Proverbs
Chapter 1
Purpose of Proverbs
These are the proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
to help you gain wisdom and instruction, to understand meaningful words,
to acquire well-organized knowledge,and become just, with discernment and integrity.
Simple people will become wise, and the young will gain understanding and foresight.
Let the wise listen: they will increase their knowledge, and those of sound judgment will develop skill
to understand proverbs and sayings, the words of the wise, and their riddles.
The beginning of knowledge is fearing the Lord, only fools show contempt for wisdom and discipline.
Advice to Young People
Listen, my son, to your father’s teachings, and do not ignore your mother’s instruction
for they will be your graceful crown, and a precious chain around your neck.
My son, if sinners attempt to tempt you, do not yield.
They will invite you, “Come with us, let us spill blood; let us ambush the innocent without a second thought.
We will engulf them, as does the netherworld, and snatch them suddenly, as does death.
We will help ourselves to many riches and fill our houses with booty.
Join forces with us; one purse will be shared among us!”
My son, stay away from them; do not follow their path.
See how quickly they rush toward evil! How they hurry to shed blood!
What bird would fall into a trap if you set it up in its sight?
But these people trap themselves and lay a trap for their own lives.
Such is the fate of all who live by plunder: their greed will eventually take their lives.
Invitation to Wisdom
Wisdom shouts aloud in the streets, she raises her voice in the marketplace;
at street corners she cries out; she delivers her speeches at the city gates:
“You ignorant people, how long will you keep holding onto your foolishness? How long will mockers continue to rejoice in their mockery, and fools dismiss knowledge?
Listen to my warning. I will now pour my spirit on you and make you understand my words.
Indeed if I cry out and you refuse to listen, if I offer my hand and no one cares,
if you ignore my advice and reject my warning,
I will, in turn, laugh at your disaster, I will sneer when terror grips you;
when terror comes down on you like a hurricane, and distress and anxiety befall you.
Then people will cry out to me, but I will not respond. They will seek me but won’t find me,
because they despised knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord;
they refused to listen to any advice and rejected all my warnings.
They will reap the consequences of their evil deeds and indulge in their own schemes.
For the mistakes of the ignorant lead to death, and the laziness of fools causes their downfall.
But whoever listens to me will feel safe and relaxed, without fear of harm.”
Commentaries
First Collection.
These initial nine chapters serve as an introduction to the entire book, attributed to the final editor of the work.
Purpose of Proverbs.
As shown in the first seven verses, all human beings, without exception, must seek wisdom as a vital part of their lives. Seen as the highest value, it is similar to a divine revelation that helps humans gain life. People, left to their own devices, need a light to guide them, and wisdom comes to their aid for this purpose.
Advice to Young People.
Like someone teaching a child, the wise instructor warns us about those who try to recruit new members into evil “organizations” through trickery and bad advice.
Invitation to Wisdom.
With the traits of a prophet, personified wisdom calls out in the public square to the foolish, the ignorant, the inexperienced, the reckless, and the insolent, urging them to focus their lives on one key thing: respect for the Lord (29). From the discourse of wisdom, it follows that true wisdom is found in respecting the Lord; such respect essentially means obeying his laws and commands, which is the only way to avoid misfortune. The “storm” and the “hurricane” (27) symbolize a life lived without hope for fulfillment. Knowing how to live well brings peace, calm, and security amid significant troubles. The tone of this proclamation is very similar to that of Jeremiah and, to a lesser extent, that of Isaiah. The goal is not mainly to condemn but to call for righteous judgment, healthy living, and correction before it’s too late (28).