Proverbs 1
1
Purpose of the Proverbs of Solomon#The prologue explains the purpose of the book. The book has a sapiential, ethical, and religious dimension: to bring the inexperienced to knowledge and right conduct, to increase the facility of those already wise for interpreting proverbs, parables and riddles, and to encourage the fulfillment of one’s duties to God.
1The proverbs#Proverbs: the Hebrew word mashal is broader than English “proverb,” embracing the instructions of chaps. 1–9 and the sayings, observations, and comparisons of chaps. 10–31. of Solomon,#Prv 10:1; 25:1; 1 Kgs 4:32. the son of David,
king of Israel:
2That people may know wisdom and discipline,#Discipline: education or formation which dispels ignorance and corrects vice. Note the reprise of v. 2a in v. 7b.
may understand intelligent sayings;
3May receive instruction in wise conduct,
in what is right, just and fair;
4That resourcefulness may be imparted to the naive,#Naive: immature, inexperienced, sometimes the young, hence easily influenced for good or evil.
knowledge and discretion to the young.
5The wise by hearing them will advance in learning,
the intelligent will gain sound guidance,
6To comprehend proverb and byword,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7Fear of the Lord#Fear of the Lord: primarily a disposition rather than the emotion of fear; reverential awe and respect toward God combined with obedience to God’s will. is the beginning of knowledge;#Prv 9:10; Jb 28:28; Ps 111:10; Sir 1:16.
fools despise wisdom and discipline.
II. INSTRUCTIONS OF PARENTS AND OF WOMAN WISDOM
The Path of the Wicked: Greed and Violence#A parental warning to a young person leaving home, for them to avoid the company of the greedy and violent. Two ways lie before the hearer, a way that leads to death and a way that leads to life. The trap which the wicked set for the innocent (v. 11) in the end takes away the lives of the wicked themselves (v. 19). This theme will recur especially in chaps. 1–9. A second theme introduced here is that of founding (or managing) a household and choosing a spouse. A third theme is the human obstacles to attaining wisdom. Here (and in 2:12–15 and 4:10–19), the obstacle is men (always in the plural); in 2:16–19; 5:1–6; 6:20–35; chap. 7; 9:13–18, the obstacle to the quest is the “foreign” woman (always in the singular).
8Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and reject not your mother’s teaching;
9A graceful diadem will they be for your head;
a pendant for your neck.
10My son, should sinners entice you,
11do not go if they say, “Come along with us!
Let us lie in wait for blood,
unprovoked, let us trap the innocent;
12Let us swallow them alive, like Sheol,
whole, like those who go down to the pit!
13All kinds of precious wealth shall we gain,
we shall fill our houses with booty;
14Cast in your lot with us,
we shall all have one purse!”
15My son, do not walk in the way with them,
hold back your foot from their path!
16[For their feet run to evil,
they hasten to shed blood.#Is 59:7.]
17In vain a net is spread#A difficult verse. The most probable interpretation is that no fowler lifts up the net so the bird can see it. The verse might be paraphrased: God does not let those who walk on evil paths see the net that will entrap them. The passive construction (“a net is spread”) is sometimes used to express divine activity. Verse 16 is a later attempt to add clarity. It is a quotation from Is 59:7 and is not in the best Greek manuscripts.
right under the eyes of any bird—
18They lie in wait for their own blood,
they set a trap for their own lives.
19This is the way of everyone greedy for loot:
it takes away their lives.
Wisdom in Person Gives a Warning#Wisdom is personified as in chaps. 8 and 9:1–6. With divine authority she proclaims the moral order, threatening to leave to their own devices those who disregard her invitation. All three speeches of Woman Wisdom have common features: a setting in city streets; an audience of simple or naive people; a competing appeal (chap. 7 is the competing appeal for chap. 8); an invitation to a relationship that brings long life, riches, repute.The structure of the speeches is: A: setting (vv. 20–21); B: Wisdom’s withdrawal, rebuke and announcement (vv. 22–23); reason and rejection I (vv. 24–27); reason and rejection II (vv. 28–31); summary (v. 32); C: the effects of Wisdom’s presence (v. 33). Wisdom’s opening speech is an extended threat ending with a brief invitation (v. 33). Her second speech is an extended invitation ending with a brief threat (8:36). The surprisingly abrupt and harsh tone of her speech is perhaps to be explained as a response to the arrogant words of the men in the previous scene (1:8–19).
20Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the open squares she raises her voice;#Prv 8:1–3; 9:3.
21Down the crowded ways she calls out,
at the city gates she utters her words:
22#There is textual confusion. Verse 22bc (in the third person) is an addition, interrupting vv. 22a and 23a (in the second person). The addition has been put in brackets, to separate it from the original poem. The original verses do not ask for a change of heart but begin to detail the consequences of disobedience to Wisdom. “How long, you naive ones, will you love naivete,
23How long will you turn away at my reproof?
[The arrogant delight in their arrogance,
and fools hate knowledge.]
Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit,
I will acquaint you with my words:
24‘Because I called and you refused,
extended my hand and no one took notice;#Is 65:2, 12; 66:4; Jer 7:13.
25Because you disdained all my counsel,
and my reproof you ignored—
26I, in my turn, will laugh at your doom;
will mock when terror overtakes you;
27When terror comes upon you like a storm,
and your doom approaches like a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish befall you.’
28Then they will call me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me, but will not find me,
29Because they hated knowledge,
and the fear of the Lord they did not choose.
30They ignored my counsel,
they spurned all my reproof;
31Well, then, they shall eat the fruit#Eat the fruit: sinners are punished by the consequences of their sins. Wisdom’s voice echoes that of the parents in vv. 8–19. The parents mediate wisdom in vv. 8–19, but here Wisdom herself speaks. of their own way,
and with their own devices be glutted.
32For the straying of the naive kills them,
the smugness of fools destroys them.
33But whoever obeys me dwells in security,
in peace, without fear of harm.”#Prv 8:33–34.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Proverbs 1
1
1 The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
2 in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3 to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4 so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5 By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6 He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8 Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9 so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10 My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11 If they should say: "Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
12 Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit.
13 We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14 Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all."
15 My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16 For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17 But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18 Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19 Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20 Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21 She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22 "Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?
23 Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24 For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25 You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26 Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
27 When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28 then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29 For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30 they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31 Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32 The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33 But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils."
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