Proverbs 8
8
The Discourse of Wisdom#Chapter 8 is Wisdom’s longest speech in the book. Wisdom is here personified as in 1:20–33. She exalts her grandeur and origin, and invites all (vv. 1–11) to be attentive to her salutary influence in human society (vv. 12–21), for she was privileged to be present at the creation of the world (vv. 22–31). Finally, she promises life and the favor of God to those who are devoted to her, death to those who reject her.The poem has four sections, each (except the fourth) with two parts of five lines each:
Within chaps. 1–9, chap. 8 is the companion piece to Wisdom’s first speech in 1:20–33. There she spoke harshly, giving a promise only in the last line; here she speaks invitingly, giving a threat only in the last line.Chapter 8 is the best-known chapter in Proverbs and has profoundly influenced Jewish and Christian thought. The most explicit and lengthy biblical comment is in Sir 24; it too has thirty-five lines in seven five-line stanzas and develops the theme of Wisdom’s intimacy with God and desire to be with human beings. The Gospel of John portrays Jesus in the language of wisdom in Proverbs: Jesus, like Wisdom, calls out to people to listen to him, promises to tell them the truth, seeks disciples, invites them to a banquet, and gives them life. Writers in the patristic period used the language of pre-existent wisdom to express the idea of the pre-existent Word with God.
I. | A. | vv. 1–5 | B. | vv. 6–10 |
II. | A. | vv. 12–16 | B. | vv. 17–21 |
III. | A. | vv. 22–26 | B. | vv. 27–31 |
IV. | vv. 32–36 |
1Does not Wisdom call,
and Understanding raise her voice?#Prv 1:20–21; 9:3.
2On the top of the heights along the road,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3By the gates at the approaches of the city,
in the entryways she cries aloud:
4“To you, O people, I call;
my appeal is to you mortals.
5You naive ones, gain prudence,
you fools,#Naive ones…fools: see note on 1:4. gain sense.
6Listen! for noble things I speak;
my lips proclaim honest words.
7#The truth and sincerity of wisdom are absolute because they are of divine origin. They can neither deceive nor tolerate deception. The intelligent understand and accept this. “Straight” and “crooked” in Hebrew and English are metaphors for true, trustworthy and false, deceitful. Indeed, my mouth utters truth,
and my lips abhor wickedness.
8All the words of my mouth are sincere,
none of them wily or crooked;
9All of them are straightforward to the intelligent,
and right to those who attain knowledge.
10Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11[For Wisdom is better than corals,
and no treasures can compare with her.#Prv 3:15; Wis 7:8.]
12I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and useful knowledge I have.
13[The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil;]
Pride, arrogance, the evil way,
and the perverse mouth I hate.#Prv 6:16–17; 16:5.
14Mine are counsel and advice;
Mine is strength; I am understanding.#What is here predicated of Wisdom is elsewhere attributed to God (Jb 12:13–16).
15By me kings reign,
and rulers enact justice;
16By me princes govern,
and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
17Those who love me I also love,
and those who seek me find me.
18With me are riches and honor,#Prv 3:16.
wealth that endures, and righteousness.
19My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold,
and my yield than choice silver.#Prv 3:14.
20On the way of righteousness I walk,
along the paths of justice,
21Granting wealth to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22#Wisdom is of divine origin. She is represented as existing before all things (vv. 22–26), when God planned and created the universe, adorning it with beauty and variety, and establishing its wonderful order (vv. 27–30). The purpose of the two cosmogonies (vv. 22–26 and 27–31) is to ground Wisdom’s claims. The first cosmogony emphasizes that she was born before all else (and so deserving of honor) and the second underscores that she was with the Lord during the creation of the universe. The pre-existence of Woman Wisdom with God is developed in Sir 24 and in New Testament hymns to Christ, especially in Jn 1 and Col 1:15–20. “The Lord begot me, the beginning of his works,
the forerunner of his deeds of long ago;#Wis 9:9; Sir 1:1; 24:9.
23From of old I was formed,#Formed: since the other verbs of the origin of Wisdom in these verses describe birth, it is likely that the somewhat uncertain verb is to be understood of birth as in Ps 139:13.
at the first, before the earth.#Sir 1:4.
24#Perhaps the formless mass from which God created the heavens and the earth; cf. Gn 1:1–2; 2:4–6. When there were no deeps I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
25Before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
26When the earth and the fields were not yet made,
nor the first clods of the world.
27When he established the heavens, there was I,#Prv 3:19; Sir 24:4–5.
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
28When he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the springs of the deep;
29When he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
When he fixed the foundations of earth,
30then was I beside him as artisan;#Artisan: the translation of the Hebrew word ’āmôn has been controverted since antiquity. There have been three main opinions: (1) artisan; (2) trustworthy (friend); (3) ward, nursling. The most likely explanation is that ’āmôn is artisan, related to Akkadian ummānu, legendary sages and heroes who brought divine gifts and culture to the human race. I was his delight: the chiastic or ABBA structure of vv. 30–31 unifies the four lines and underscores the analogy between Woman Wisdom’s intimate relation to the Lord and her intimate relation to human beings, i.e., “delight” + “playing” parallels “playing” + “delight.” She is God’s friend and intimate and invites human beings to a similar relationship to God through her. #Wis 9:9.
I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
31Playing over the whole of his earth,
having my delight with human beings.
32#The final appeal of Woman Wisdom to her disciples is similar to the appeal of the father in 7:24–27. Now, children, listen to me;
happy are they who keep my ways.
33Listen to instruction and grow wise,
do not reject it!
34Happy the one who listens to me,
attending daily at my gates,
keeping watch at my doorposts;
35For whoever finds me finds life,#Prv 3:13–18; 4:22.
and wins favor from the Lord;
36But those who pass me by do violence to themselves;
all who hate me love death.”
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Proverbs 8
8
Wisdom’s Call
1Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:
4“To you, O people, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.#8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
6Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.
15By me kings reign
and rulers issue decrees that are just;
16by me princes govern,
and nobles—all who rule on earth.#8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
17I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
22“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,#8:22 Or way; or dominion#8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
before his deeds of old;
23I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
27I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30Then I was constantly#8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
32“Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the Lord.
36But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.”
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