Proverbs
Chapter 8
Discourse of Wisdom
Who is calling? Isn’t it Wisdom?Who raises her voice?
Is it not Knowledge? She shouts from the hilltops and waits by the crossroads;
near the city gates she speaks:
“To you, people, I call, for my message is directed to all who live,
so that the ignorant may learn and the thoughtless come to their senses.
Listen to me, for I speak of vital things, and everything I say is true.
Truthful words flow from my mouth, and my lips do not indulge in evil.
All my words are right, none are twisted or deceitful.
The intelligent will verify their truth, the wise perceive their sincerity.
Preferring my teaching over silver and seeking wisdom instead of gold,
because wisdom is more valuable than any jewel and everything you might desire cannot compare to it.”
Hymn to Wisdom
I, Wisdom, dwell with discretion and count prudence among my friends.
The fear of the Lord is the rejection of evil. I hate all pride, arrogance, wickedness ways and lies,
but I love counsel, discretion, prudence, and strength.
Kings reign by my power, their ministers issue just laws;
by me princes govern, and the great and noble of the earth as well.
I love those who love me and go to meet those who seek me.
Riches and honor are with me, true well-being and upright living.
My fruit and my yield are more valuable than silver and gold.
I proceed on the path of righteousness and make use of the ways of justice,
giving riches to those who love me, and filling their cellars.
The Lord created me first, at the beginning of his works.
He formed me from of old, from eternity, even before the earth.
The abyss did not exist when I was born, the springs of the sea had not gushed forth,
the mountains were still not set in their place nor the hills, when I was born
before he made the earth or countryside, or the first grains of the world’s dust.
I was there when he made the skies and drew the earth’s compass on the abyss,
when he formed the clouds above and when the springs of the ocean emerged;
when he made the sea with its limits, that it might not overflow. When he laid the foundations of the earth,
I was close beside him, the designer of his works, and I was his daily delight, forever playing in his presence,
playing throughout the world and delighting to be with humans.
Now then, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who follow my ways.
Listen to my teaching and gain wisdom; do not ignore it.
Happy are those who listen to me and wait at my gates every day, watching, close to my threshold.
Those who find me find life: theirs is the Lord’s blessing.
Those who offend me will face suffering; they hate me because they love death.
Commentaries
First Collection.
These initial nine chapters serve as an introduction to the entire book, attributed to the final editor of the work.
Discourse of Wisdom.
Like a prophet boldly proclaiming his truth, wisdom also goes to the crossroads and city gates to share her message; she claims that her words are true and trustworthy, and that those who seek her will find something better than even a valuable treasure.
Hymn to Wisdom.
Wisdom reveals itself through another core aspect: sensibility. In its discussion about itself, it highlights three key points: 1. Its dignity, closely tied to sagacity and reflection, which grants it the authority to advise wisely and ensure that those in power act as wise and just rulers. 2. Its origin. We see self-awareness in being a creature like others in the universe, yet as the first creation, it “accompanies” the creator in his work. Deemed a pre-existing being, wisdom presents itself as a gift given to the rest of creation. 3. It is the choice humans must face freely: to possess and pursue wisdom daily is to move toward a happy goal; to ignore it or stray is to lose oneself and die. Thus, the wisdom tradition aligns with the Deuteronomistic ideal, which links happiness and life to fidelity to the Lord—in following his commands—and death to neglecting those commands.