CHAPTER 1
1. The rules of Shlomoh, son of David, king of Israel,
Rules: Proverbs or parables, but based on the word for governing—in this case, governing oneself.
2. for learning skill and discipline for perceiving the words of understanding,
Skill: or wisdom—putting knowledge to work for you. Perceiving: or discerning—i.e., telling which words are wise and which are not.
3. to take hold of the correction of wisdom, righteousness, judgment, and equity,
Righteousness: or balance, the ability to navigate a fine line between extremes. Judgment: or correct ruling in a courtroom. Equity: or uprightness, level-mindedness; anything that is not crooked, twisted, or perverted.
4. to give discretion to the open-minded, knowledge and purpose to the young.
Discretion: or subtlety, shrewdness, cunning, craftiness (in a good sense). Open-minded: naïve, gullible, or simple-minded.
5. A wise person will listen and learn even more, so a man of discernment can acquire guidance
6. to understand a parable, a figure of speech, the words of the wise and their insinuations.
Figure of speech: or a satire, aphorism, or interpretation. Insinuations: or riddles, enigmatic or perplexing questions.
7. The respect of YHWH is the first [step] of knowledge, but fools scorn wisdom and discipline.
Since YHWH is the basis for all things and holds all things together, knowing Him allows us to understand the purpose of everything else. And of course, if they think He does not matter or exist, nothing else will be sacred to them, and they will ridicule whatever suits their fancy at the moment.
8. Listen, my son, to your father’s correction, and do not let go of your mother’s instruction,
Instruction: Heb., torah. The Torah should be taken in that spirit rather than thought of as “law” as such. It is loving direction toward the path that will be least problematic.
9. because they are a garland of favor to persuade you, do not or to your head and adornments for your neck.
10. My child, if sinners try to persuade you, do not agree to [anything].
11. If they say, “Come with us; let’s lie in wait for blood! Let’s set an ambush for the innocent just for fun!
Just for fun: literally, for nothing, for no reason, or without good cause.
12. “Let’s swallow them alive like the underworld—[swallow them] whole like those who drop into a pit!
Swallow them alive: This seems to be an allusion to Qorakh, Dathan, and Aviram. (Numbers 16) Yet the speakers miss the whole point of that story!
13. “We’ll find all kinds of rare stuff; we’ll fill our houses with loot!
14. “Throw in your lot among us; we’ll all have one purse.”
15. My son, don’t go in [that] direction with them; keep your foot out of their path,
16. because their feet run to trouble, and they hurry to shed blood.
Trouble: or simply, evil.
17. If any bird [at all] sees you setting a trap, it will be useless.
It will warn all the other birds in the area so that they will all stay away. Bird: literally, owner of a wing.
18. But what they are [really] lying in wait for is their own blood; it’s for themselves they are setting [the] ambush.
19. [It’s] the same way for anyone who gains a profit illicitly: it takes the life of its owners.
Life: literally, soul or breath. This could have many levels of meaning.
20. Outdoors, Wisdom gives a ringing shout; she sounds forth her voice in the wide-open squares.
Wisdom: personified here as if a woman, but wisdom is indeed actually a person. (1 Cor. 1:30)
21. Amid the hustle and bustle she calls out; at the entrances to the city gates she speaks her words:
Entrances to the gates: Is this not redundant? No, for the gates of ancient near eastern cities were complexes composed of several interconnected chambers, where courts would hold session, imported goods were marketed, and soldiers could hold off intruders at several stages before they reached the inside of the city where the populace actually dwelt.
22. “How long, O you open-minded, will you love naïveté? [How long] will scorners delight to scoff at them, and in [their] stupor, hate knowledge?
23. “Turn back to my correcting! Look, I will let my spirit gush forth to you! I will make my words known to you!
24. “Since I called out and you refused, [since] I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention,
25. “[since] you ignored all my advice, and would have none of my correction,
26. “I, too, will laugh at your calamity and will ridicule [you] when what you are terrified of comes about,
27. “when what you dread comes like a [devastating] storm, when your disaster arrives like a whirlwind, when distress and dire straits come upon you!
28. “Then they will cry out to me, but I will not answer; they will look earnestly for me, but will not find me,
29. “as a consequence because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of YHWH.
Fear: healthy respect for the real dangers that await those who refuse the safe conduct He has prepared for those who keep to the path He lovingly made for us.
30. “They would not [willingly] consent to my counsel, and rejected my every rebuke,
Rebuke: correction or even refutation.
31. “so they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be overstuffed with the plans they themselves devised,
32. “because the naïve’s [very] turning away will get them killed, and the complacency of those who let their senses be dulled will destroy them,
33. “while whoever does listen to me will dwell in safety and be [securely] at rest from the fear of trouble.”
At rest: knowing the quiet relief from these threats which they had formerly experienced before getting and accepting the right information.
CHAPTER 2
1. My child, if you receive my words and treasure up my orders within yourself,
2. so that you bend your ear to wisdom and stretch out your heart to understanding,
Bend: or incline. Stretch out: or extend—extraordinary metaphors of reaching to our limits to gather in more knowledge and skill.
3. since if you cry out for discernment and set your voice to insight--
4. if you seek her as for silver and search for her like hidden treasures--
5. then you will understand the fear of YHWH and encounter the knowledge of Elohim,
6. because YHWH provides wisdom and from His mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.
7. He stores up valuable insight for the upright—a defender of those who walk in integrity.
Valuable insight: or reliable, sound, efficient knowledge which can lead one to success.
8. He watches over the ways of justice and guards the path of His pious ones.
Pious: faithful to Him, but based on the word for lovingkindness.
9. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity—every appropriate track.
10. When wisdom enters into your heart and knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11. discretion will preserve you; understanding will watch over you
Discretion: intent, purpose. Preserve: or be a guard over. Understanding: or intelligence.
12. to rescue you from the path of trouble, from men who speak destructive [word]s--
Rescue: literally, snatch you up away from. Destructive: or perverse, things that overturn or overthrow order; i.e., revolutionary or subversive.
13. who abandon the straight paths [of uprightness] to walk in the ways of darkness,
And those who walk in darkness are sure to stumble or go astray. (Yeshayahu/Isa. 59:10; Yochanan 12:35)
14. who are glad to do wrong, who delight in the fraudulent [thing]s of evil,
15. whose paths are perverted, who are in a rut of deviousness--
Perverted: twisted into being crooked after having initially been straight. Rut: a well-worn track that is easier to stay riding in than to get out of. Deviousness: turning aside (deviating) from the original path, until they disappear from view.
16. to deliver you from the foreign woman, from the alien with flattery in her words,
Foreign/alien: not from another country so much as an outsider to one’s marriage, who offers satisfaction from a different source than one’s own home. Flattery: literally, smoothness, with the sense of a slippery slope by which one will slide down to destruction.
17. who forsakes the [intimate] companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her Elohim,
Forgets: or ignores, ceases to care about.
18. because her house sinks down toward death and her tracks toward those who have gone slack.
Slack: or limp—i.e., the deceased.
19. None of those who go to her [ever] come back or make it all the way [back] to the path of life.
20. [This is all said] so that you may walk in the direction of good things and stay safely within the [guard-railed] paths of the right things,
Right things: or righteous ones.
21. because the upright ones will dwell within [the] Land, and people of integrity will remain in it,
22. but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the treacherous torn away from it.
Treacherous: or deceitful, who “cloak” their words or actions in something that looks more wholesome than they actually are.
CHAPTER 3
1. My child, do not forget my instruction, and let your heart guard the orders I give,
2. because they will add to you length of days, years of life, and total well-being.
3. Don’t let kindness or faithfulness get away from you! Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart!
I.e., keep them where you can always see them and they will always be with you; don’t let them escape!
4. That way you will find favor and a good reputation in the eyes of YHWH and human beings.
5. Trust in YHWH with all of your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
6. Recognize Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths smooth.
Recognize: or acknowledge. Make your paths smooth (level, straight): or, direct your ways.
7. Don’t be wise in your own eyes; revere YHWH and turn away from evil.
8. It will be healing to your abdomen and refreshment to your bones.
Abdomen: i.e., where your emotional feelings arise; it will be a great sense of relief.
9. Give YHWH the weight [He deserves] through your wealth, with the best of all your produce,
Best: literally, first. One example of this is the firstfruits, but that is just a place to begin.
10. and your storehouses will be filled with plenty, and your press-vats will overflow with fresh wine.
Compare Mal’akhi 3:10-12.
11. My child, do not despise the reproof of YHWH, or get tired of His correction,
12. because YHWH corrects the ones He loves like a father [corrects] a son in whom he takes delight.
Real love will not just let someone keep going down the path to destruction without warning; that would show that he really did not care about him at all.
13. The person who finds wisdom is blessed, [as is] the person who obtains understanding,
Blessed: not from the word for “bend the knee”, but from a word meaning to advance onward and go straight—i.e., make progress. Obtains: in the sense of being furnished with but as something one draws out, brings out (as when reaching inside something else for it), or promotes. So it does seem to be something he is actively seeking, in contrast to the unexpected finding of the first phrase.
14. because the gains she [brings] are better than the profit silver [brings], and her “income” [is better] than [that of] diligently-mined gold.
15. She is more precious than jewels; nothing you [could] desire compares with her.
16. Length of days is in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left.
17. Her ways are delightful ways, and all her paths [lead to] well-being.
18. She is a tree of life to those who take hold if her, and those who hold her fast will be glad [they did].
Take hold: grasp firmly, hold on tightly; hold fast: or retain; i.e., don’t let go of her once you have caught her and have her in your hands!
19. Through wisdom, YHWH laid the foundations of the earth; He established the heavens with discernment.
Wisdom: Yeshua, through whom YHWH created, is said to have become our wisdom. (1 Corinthians 1:30) Established: set up, made firm.
20. Through His knowledge the [subterranean] depths were broken open
Depths broken open: as one of the causes of the Deluge that re=formed the corrupted earth was described. (Gen. 7:11)
21. My child, don’t let them get out of your sight! Set a guard over sound insight and purposeful discretion,
22. and they will become life for your soul, and will be [charms of] elegance on your neck.
Life for your soul: or, they will help you survive/stay alive.
23. Then you will move about your path confidently, and your foot will not stumble.
Confidently: securely or safely because you are able to trust the sturdiness of what you are walking on.
24. If you lie down, you will not be afraid, and your repose will also be sweet.
25. You will not be in dread of being taken by surprise by sudden panic or of wicked people’s devastation—because it will come--
Devastation: or ravage, ruin; this is the term now used of the Holocaust of the 1940s.
26. because YHWH will be [the One who enables] you to take [otherwise-foolish] risks, and He will keep your foot from getting caught.
27. Don’t hold back good from those to whom it is due when the power to do so comes to be in your hand.
To whom it is due: literally, its owners. This is a principle derived from the Torah command to not fail to pay the wages of one who works for you at the time they are due. (Lev. 19:13) The next verse makes the meaning even clearer:
28. Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away, and come back tomorrow and I will give it [to you]” when you have it with you [already].
29. Don’t secretly plot evil against your neighbor, when he dwells trustingly with you.
Or, don’t be silent and allow evil to come upon your fellow-citizen when he feels safe living beside you.
30. Don’t quarrel with a person for no reason—if he has not paid you back wrongly.
Quarrel: or strive, fight. For no reason: without cause. Paid back wrongly: or compensated you with evil.
31. Don’t envy a man of violence or choose [to follow] any of his ways,
Violence: or cruelty, injustice.
32. because the devious person is repulsive to YHWH, but He shares His intimate secrets with the upright.
Upright: or straight, level—someone who is not crooked in any manner.
33. The curse of YHWH is on the household of the wicked, but He brings blessing on the abode of the righteous ones.
34. Whenever they are scornful, He scorns [them], but to the afflicted He shows favor.
Scorns: mocks, derides, scoffs at—with the sense of boasting. I.e., He laughs at their arrogance that makes them think they can ignore or demean His commands, showing Himself to be above the lofty height they thought they were on, safe from harm because of their wealth or street-smarts. Afflicted: or poor, humble, bent low—the opposite of these overconfident boors. Favor: not favoritism, but providing the merciful help they need because they have been pleasing to Him.
35. The wise will inherit honor, but the legacy of fools will be disgrace.
Honor: literally, weightiness. I.e., they will be taken seriously, respected, treated as important. Disgrace: shame, dishonor, ignominy (being infamous for their folly).
CHAPTER 4
1. Listen, children, to a father’s warning; pay attention, in order to know [how to] be discerning!
2. Because I am giving you valuable training; don’t neglect my instruction!
3. When I was my father’s son, tender and “the one and only” in the presence of my mother,
4. when he gave me directions, he told me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; guard my orders and you will live:
5. “Acquire wisdom! Acquire discernment! Don’t forget and don’t turn aside from the words of my mouth.
Wisdom: or skill. Discernment: the ability to distinguish one thing from another, especially in regard to what is right or wrong.
6. “Don’t abandon her, and she will be your guard; love her, and she will watch over you.
Love: prefer, when there is a choice to be made.
7. “Wisdom is [the] beginning. Acquire wisdom! And with all your acquiring, acquire discernment!
8. “Esteem her highly and she will raise you up; because you embrace her, she will bring you honor.
Raise you up: or, promote you.
9. “She will provide a garland of favor for your head; a crown of splendor will defend you.
10. “Listen my child, and accept the things I say, and many years of life will be yours.
11. “I have directed you in the path of wisdom; I have led you by straight paths.
12. “When you walk, your pace will not be hindered; and if you run, you will not stumble.
13. “Hold onto discipline tightly; don’t drop her! Guard her carefully, because she is your life!”
14. “Don’t enter the lifestyle of the wicked, and don’t advance in the direction bad people [go].
15. “Avoid it; don’t even cross over it! Turn away from it, and pass right by,
16. “because they can’t rest unless they have done [something] wrong, and they are robbed of their sleep if they haven’t tripped [someone] and made them stumble,
17. “because they feed off the bread of wickedness, and drink violence as [their] wine.
Feed off: interestingly, the term is related to war, in the sense of gaining their sustenance from what used to be someone else’s.
18. “In contrast, the way [of life] of righteous [people] is like the light of the dawn, which progresses and grows brighter until the day is fully established.
19. “The path of the wicked is like thick gloominess; they don’t even know what they are stumbling over.”
20. My son, pay attention to my words; stretch out your ear to the things I say!
21. Don’t let them get lost from your view; corral them in the very middle of your heart,
22. because they are life to those who discover them, and healing to all of their flesh.
23. More than anything, set a guard to watch over your heart, because out of it come the ways to escape into [real] life.
Come the ways to escape…: or, flow forth the sources of life.
24. Remove a twisted mouth from yourself, and put devious lips far away from you.
Twisted: or crooked; metaphorically, deceitful, expressed in speaking in “convoluted” ways.
25. Let your eyes pay attention to what is right in front of you, and keep your eyelids [on what is] straight ahead of you.
26. Prepare the track [for] your feet, and all of your directions will be firmly established;
Prepare: level off, smooth out, or weigh out (consider carefully the advantages of disadvantages of going in that direction).
27. You won’t incline to the right or to the left. Keep your foot away from evil!
Incline: bow, bend, or list, as if to tip over. If your path is level (v. 26), you will not lean in either direction, but remain fully upright.
CHAPTER 5
1. My son, pay attention to my wisdom; stretch out your ear to my understanding,
2. to retain discretion, and [so that] your lips may keep a guard over perceptiveness,
3. because the lips of an outside woman drip [with] honey, and her palate is smoother than oil,
Outside: i.e., foreign to your household—the proverbial “other woman” to one who already has a wife, or just one whom he would never see again after a one-night stand. Her allure seems strong and attractive, but the mentor will show how deceptive this is:
4. but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.
Wormwood: or possibly hemlock, the poison Socrates was forced to drink if he would not recant his views. It is from a root word meaning “cursed”.
5. Her legs take you down to death; her steps keep [you] underground,
Keep you underground: or, are what support the grave: i.e., keep it in business!
6. to keep you from pondering the path of life. Her ways are unstable; you don’t know [where they will take you].
Pondering: or weighing out, considering a better option. Unstable: wavering, causing one to totter, stagger, or be tossed around.
7. So now, children, listen to me; don’t turn aside from the words of my mouth:
8. Keep your route far away from her, and don’t go near the door of her house
9. lest you forfeit your vigor to others, and [give up] your years to [one who is] cruel.
Vigor: or splendor, majesty. I.e., what you could have used to make your own house illustrious will be wasted on something that will never benefit you at all and will actually enslave you.
10. –lest [uncaring] strangers become excessively full from your strength, and your hard labors [go] into the house of a foreigner
11. and in the end you groan [from regret] when your muscles and [the strength of] your body are totally used up,
Body: here, an inner layer of flesh, full of blood and vigor; possibly marrow.
12. and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised correction!
Hated, despised: both terms connote something one could have chosen, but spurned as worthless.
13. “And I have not listened to the voice of my teachers or inclined my ear to those who taught me!
14. “I have come to be on the verge of total ruin—right in the midst of a congregation and assembly!
Though I was among those by whom I could have been influenced in the right direction, I have come but one step away from a steep precipice.
15. Drink water from your own cistern, and what flows out of your own well!
Cistern: what you yourself have stored up and put your heart into building—a predictable source laid out the way you wanted it and over which you have control, unlike the options described above.
16. [Would you want] your own springs to be scattered outside, or your water-channels spread abroad?
Springs: or water-sources, but with the connotation of being natural and without extra cost to you (coming directly from what you have invested in). Channels: what you have carefully shaped to irrigate your own crops. If they spill out in every which direction, what will you have left to drink?
17. [No, you’d want] them to be yours alone, and not shared with who knows what strangers?
Strangers: with the nuance of being hostile or ready to take advantage of you—the same term used of this “outsider” in verse 3.
18. Let your own source be a blessing; that is, be glad with the wife of your youth!
A blessing: or, blessed, but it is related to the word for a “knee-deep” pond, in this context of water-sources, so there may be a play on words lost in translation. Wife of your youth: the one you have “poured” your whole life into, and who has been available to you all along just like these wells or your own, in contrast with those outsiders who have plans of their own elsewhere which do not have you in mind at all.
19. A loving doe and a graceful ibex, let her nipples satisfy you at all times; always be enraptured by her love.
Ibex: a mountain-goat, which does not sound so romantic, but they are very sure-footed (in direct contrast to the unstable, unpredictable woman in verse 6). Satisfy: or satiate, almost like intoxication. Enraptured: or taken away, drawn away—by her, not by the stranger who allures.
20. Because why, my son, should you be seduced by an outsider, or be embraced in the bosom of a foreigner?
Embraced: by a grip that also holds you captive.
21. For the ways of a man are directly in front of YHWH, and He weighs out all of his habits.
22. A wicked man himself is caught in the trap of his own perversity, and he is caught in the grip of his own error.
Caught: literally, roped in by his own measuring cord. (Compare YHWH’s weighing out in v. 21: the wicked one thought he had it planned just right to catch someone else, but he misstepped right into his own snare.)
23. He will die without warning, while reeling from the magnitude of his own foolishness.
Without warning: or, for lack of [self-]discipline.
CHAPTER 6
1. My child, if you have co-signed as a guarantor for a friend, if you have struck hands [in pledge] with someone from outside [your household],
2. you have been entrapped by the words of your mouth; you have been caught by your own mouth’s words.
3. Do this now, my child, and deliver yourself, because you have come into [the grasp of] your companion’s hand: go, humble yourself, and plead urgently with your friend.
4. Give your eyes no sleep, nor slumber to your eyelids!
5. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a [hunter’s] hand, like a bird from the hand of a trapper!
6. O lazy one, go to the ant; consider her ways, and become wise:
Consider: look at, watch.
7. Who, [though] it has no commander, foreman, or ruler,
8. secures its provisions in the summer, [and] gathers its food at harvest-time.
9. Lazy one! How long will you lie [there]? When will you get up from your sleep?
10. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little clasping of the hands to relax”--
11. and your poverty will come like a prowler, and your neediness like a man of defense.
Man of defense: literally, man of shield—i.e., armed, as in a robber.
12. An unprofitable person—a man of crookedness—walks around with a deceitful mouth.
This is how you can recognize what is in his heart.
13. He winks with his eyes, he signals with his feet, he points with his fingers.
This does not mean that anyone who does any of these things separately is crooked, but one’s deceitfulness can be seen through habitual patterns of body language, undoubtedly giving cues to his co-conspirators.
14. Subversive things are in his heart: he plots evil at all times; he keeps sowing discord.
Plots: literally, plows in: i.e., turning it underground, where it cannot be seen but is still present. Sowing: literally, sending forth, but the imagery is that he hides the fact that he is trying to divide and conquer, but he says things that will separate friends to his own advantage. We have been seeing this on a national and international scale recently.
15. Therefore his calamity will come upon him suddenly; he will be shattered in an instant and without a remedy.
What he plots will come back upon his own head, and he has taken away all recourse to help when he is in trouble because he has undermined his own friendships for selfish reasons.
16. These six [things] YHWH hates, and seven are repulsive to His soul:
17. arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood;
18. a heart that devises hurtful plans, feet that hurriedly run to evil,
19. a fraudulent witness who puffs out falsehood, and one who sows discord between brothers.
Discord: i.e., strife, fighting where there was once close friendship.
20. My child, keep watch over your father’s orders, and do not let go of your mother’s instruction.
21. Bind them up over your heart continually; tie them onto your neck!
22. She will guide you when you walk around. She will keep guard over you while you lie down, and when you wake up, she will have a conversation with you,
23. because a commandment is a lamp, and an instruction a light, and reproofs of correction are a [direct] path [to] life,
Life: or survival.
24. to guard you from the evil woman, from the slipperiness of the foreign woman’s tongue.
Slipperiness: metaphorically, flattery.
25. Don’t desire her beauty in your heart, and don’t be captivated by her eyelids,
26. because by means of a woman of harlotry, [a man is reduced] to a crust of bread, and [another] man’s wife will prey upon the valuable soul.
Crust: literally, a round piece—possibly just the outer shell. Man’s wife: i.e., an adulteress—belonging to one man but going after another.
27. Can a man take fire into his lap and his clothing not be burnt?
I.e., you think you will be the exception to this law of nature?
28. If a man can walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched!
29. It’s the same for the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife: no one who touches her will go unpunished!
30. No one will feel contempt for a thief if he steals to fill his yearning when he is starving,
31. yet when he is discovered, he has to pay back seven times as much; he may have to give up all the possessions of his household.
Seven times: possibly even “twice seven”. I.e., even if it is out of dire necessity, it is still not worth the trouble he will reap, because the penalty is no respecter of anyone’s individual situation.
32. Whoever commits adultery with a woman is mindless! Whoever does [this] destroys his own life!
Adultery: by definition, intercourse with another man’s wife. Mindless: literally, lacking in heart. Life: self or soul.
33. Wounds and disgrace are [all] he will get; his reproach can never be erased;
Disgrace: dishonor or ignominy. Get: find, encounter. Reproach: shame, bad reputation, to be talked about scornfully—this cannot be blotted out of everyone’s memory no matter how much he changes his habits later. Many have lost honorable careers by allowing themselves to be drawn into such fleeting pleasures.
34. when jealousy [ignites] a strong man’s rage, he will not show pity in the day of vengeance.
Jealousy: not as often mistakenly equated with envy, but rightful zeal to defend what actually does belong to him from being abused by another. Vengeance: Being avenged is on a higher plane than mere revenge. This has to do with justice rather than just not getting what one wanted.
35. He will not forgive in the face of any [payment by which one might try to] cover it up, nor be appeased because of ever so big a bribe.
CHAPTER 7
1. My son, guard what I say, and store up my commands with you like hidden treasure.
2. Be careful to keep my commands, and you will survive; [guard] my instruction like the pupil of your eye.
Pupil: the most heavily-defended part of the body, and thus what birds of prey pick at to see if their victim is still alive.
3. Bind them onto your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister”; call understanding “my close friend”,
5. to guard you from the alien woman, from the foreign woman who is smooth with her words.
Alien, foreign: here, not from another country, but from outside one’s household and especially outside one’s marriage, and thus seductresses.
6. Because I looked down through lattice in the window at my house,
7. and I saw among the naïve, I perceived among the sons, a young man lacking heart,
8. crossing the marketplace, near the corner, he strode in the direction of her house.
9. at twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackest of the night and gloomy darkness,
10. and sure enough, there came a woman to meet him, dressed in a prostitute’s garb, with guardedness of heart.
11. Restless was she, and stubborn; her feet would not settle down at home.
12. [This] time outdoors, [that] time in the open squares, and lurking near every corner.
13. Then she grabbed him and kissed him with a brazen face, and said to him,
14. “I have peace offerings with me today; I have paid off my vows,
15. “so I came out to meet you. I was searching hard for your face, and I have found you!
16. “I have spread my couch with coverings, with dark-hued fabric or Egyptian linen!
Egyptian linen: still some of the best in the world.
17. “I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
These are sweet-smelling spices used like perfume.
18. “Come, let’s take our fill of love until morning; let’s delight ourselves with love’s caresses!
19. “Because the man is not at his home; he has gone away on a distant journey.
20. “He’s taken a bundle of money; he won’t be back home until the full moon.”
21. She turned him aside with her persuasive speech; she seduced him with the smoothness of her lips.
22. He went after her immediately, like a bull goes to the slaughter, as if with ankle-fetters used to discipline someone who despises understanding,
23. until an arrow sliced through his liver—as a bird hurries into a trap—and he did not recognize it, because he was [going] in his passion.
24. So now, sons, listen to me! Pay attention to the sayings of my mouth!
25. Don’t be inclined to her ways; don’t let your heart wander into her paths,
26. because she has pierced many; she has made strong men fall, all of them slain by her.
Strong men: So don’t think you will be able to resist her once you start down that trajectory.
27. Her house is the way to the underworld, descending to the chambers of death!
CHAPTER 8
1. Doesn’t wisdom call out, and understanding offer her voice?
2. At the top of elevated places, above the way to the place where paths [meet], she takes her stand.
3. Beside the gates for the entry of the city, where you go through the doors, she gives a ringing shout:
4. “To you, O men, I will call out, and my voice [goes out] to the sons of Adam:
5. “You open-minded ones, learn to distinguish what is smart, and you simpletons, gain a discerning heart!
6. “Listen, because I will speak princely things, and from the time I open my lips, straight things [will come forth],
Straight: things that are level, right, equitable, unbent, not in any way crooked.
7. “because my palate will emit truth; and wickedness is a disgusting thing to my lips!
Emit: with the suggestion of groaning or moaning.
8. “All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; nothing in them is wrested [from its context] or distorted.
9. “They are all straightforward to the one who is discerning, and appropriate to those who find knowledge.
10. “Accept my correction rather than silver, and knowledge over choice gold,
11. “because wisdom is better than jewels and any of the things one might desire cannot be compared with her.
Wisdom: or skill—knowledge put to useful work. Be compared: or, on the same level with, parallel to.
12. “I, Wisdom, make my home with cleverness; [by] knowledge, I will attain [my] plans.
Wisdom is presented as a poetic anthropomorphism—or is it? We must not forget that the Messiah is “the wisdom of Elohim” (1 Cor. 1:24). “By Elohim Yeshua the Messiah is made wisdom for us.” (1 Cor. 1:30) “In him are stored up all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:3) In Michael Card’s words, “The way of wisdom is living…Behold the man of meaning!”
13. “Reverence [for] YHWH [means] to hate evil; I have come to hate arrogance and self-aggrandizement, the path to evil and the mouth [that says] perverted things.
Hate: specifically, to refuse it when given the choice.
14. “Good advice and success belong to me. I am Discernment: heroism belongs to me.
15. “By me kings [begin to] reign, and [the] judicious decree what is right.
16. “By me princes govern, and all the judges of righteousness are inclined to be generous.
Generous: willing, magnanimous, or noble; wisdom makes them “big-hearted” toward those they need to judge.
17. “I love the ones who love me, and those who search diligently for me will find me.
18. “Wealth and honor are with me; enduring [and sufficient] substance and righteousness.
19. “My fruit is better than gold—even refined gold! And my produce [is better] than choice silver.
My fruit…produce: the return one gets from the “planting” of wisdom.
20. “I walk in the caravan of correctness amidst all the pathways of justice.
21. “I have something to bequeath to those who love me, so that I may fill their storehouses [with treasure].
22. “YHWH possessed me [as] the beginning of His course [of action]—more ancient than any of His [other] works, and from then on.
Did the laws by which YHWH created the universe also come from His “image” in some sense—being essentially the way things had to be, and He understood all the scientific principles that follow, because they somehow correspond with His nature?
23. “From a [prior] age I was poured out [into a mold and cast] from [the] beginning, before there ever was an earth,
24. “when there were [as yet] no deep abysses I whirled forth—when there were no springs made heavy with water,
25. “while mountains were not yet sunk [into place], before hills were given an anguished birth,
26. “all the way back to when He had not [yet] made the earth or what is outside of it, or the pristine building-blocks of the inhabited world.
27. “When He set up the heavens, there I was—when He inscribed a circle [with a compass] over the surface of the depths,
28. “when He solidified the tiniest particles from above, when He caused the primeval depths to prevail,
29. “when He assigned the sea its prescribed limit, so that waters could not cross over [beyond] its mouth,
30. “I already existed beside Him as an architect, and I came to be His [source of] delight, day [after] day, playing merrily in front of Him all the time,
Playing: or rejoicing, amusing Him, entertaining Him, making Him laugh, bringing Him great joy.
31. “sporting gleefully within the inhabited part of His earth, and [the object of] my delight was in relation to the children of Adam.
YHWH’s chief creation, and around which He built the rest of the world, was the people He made in His image and who could enjoy His creation along with Him.
32. “So now, children, listen to me! Also, those who guard my ways are blessed!
33. “Heed my correction and become wise, and don’t [ever] let go of it!
34. “The [human] person who listens to me is blessed, keeping watch over my doors [with alertness] day by day, protecting the doorposts where I enter!
35. “Because whoever encounters me has discovered life, and will promote goodwill from YHWH.
Encounters…discovered: both are the same word in Hebrew, with the root meaning “to find”. Will promote goodwill: or, will bring out the favor of YHWH.
36. “But whoever veers away from me does violence to his own self; all those who hate me love death!”
Veers away: or, misses, gets off track from, but the sense seems to be of doing so intentionally. Self: or soul, existence.
CHAPTER 9
1. “Wits” has built her house; she has hewn out her seven pillars.
Wits: the plural form of the usual word for wisdom, but the verb and the possessive that follow are singular in Hebrew. Seven pillars: The common “skeleton” for the inner-wall support of the ceilings in a four-room house, the most common standard in Israel during this (Iron Age I) period, had four pillars separating two of the rooms from a roofless courtyard, so seven would indicate a larger-than-average household. Hewn: some poorer homeowners would have tree trunks as their pillars; those made of stone would indicate greater wealth, for wisdom is a very real type of wealth.
2. She has butchered her slaughtered [meat], she has mixed her wine; she has even set her table!
She has done all the hard work; all is ready for you to partake of what she has prepared.
3. She has sent out her [servant-] girls; she is calling out atop the highest elevations of the city:
4. “Whoever has an open mind, let him turn in here!” To him [who is] in need of resoluteness, she says,
Open mind: often held up as an ideal in itself today, but it really bespeaks its need to be filled up with what is substantial. (v. 6) As G.K. Chesterton noted, “The object of opening the mind, as with opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid!”
5. “Come, be fed by my bread! Drink of my mixed wine!
Though speaking to a singular person, the verbs here are all plural, for in a spiritual economy, what nourishes one takes nothing away from the others who need the same thing.
6. “Give up your naïveté and survive, and make progress via the path of discernment!
7. “Whoever gives advice to a scorner brings belittling on himself, and whoever corrects a wicked man will [only] get himself disfigured.
Wisdom is ridiculed by those who want to take the short-cuts of trying to get ahead by stepping on those who are “in their way”, and will not tolerate anyone who exposes their imperfections.
8. “Don’t reprove a scorner, lest he hate you; give a wise person correction, and he will love you!
9. “Give [it] to a wise person, and he will be wiser still; bring knowledge to do one who does right, and he will add to what he has internalized.
10. “The starting-point of wisdom is awed reverence [for] YHWH, and the knowledge of holy things [brings] discernment,
Holy: set-apart, dedicated to a special purpose, not for common use. Holy things: probably emphasizing which things are holy and which are not. The Torah teaches us to make such distinctions (Lev. 10:10), and this leads us to have more skill in decision-making.
11. “because through me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.
By knowing what to avoid, one’s life will not be unnecessarily cut short.
12. “If you become wise, you become wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will carry [its weight].”
For yourself: it will be to your own benefit; it is not a meaningless chore. Both things come back upon one’s own head—one wanted, one not.
13. A foolish woman is noisy [about how] open-minded [she is], without knowing anything,
Literally, without knowing what—not specifying if it is “what she is doing”, “what the reason is for what she says”, or “how it looks to others”.
14. when she sits at the door of her house on a chair [at the] highest parts of a city
15. to call out to those passing by [on the] road, who are going directly on their way,
16. “Whoever has an open mind, let him turn in here! Whoever is in need of resoluteness…”, and she says to him,
This is an echo of verse 3, showing how true wisdom has to compete with the “worldly wise”.
17. “Water taken in stealthy ways has a sweetness [about it]; bread eaten in secret places is pleasant!”
18. But he does not know that [only] those who have gone limp are there; those she has invited [end up] in the depths of the underworld.
Gone limp: as a body does when the spirit departs from it.
CHAPTER 10
Proverbs of Shlomoh:
1. A wise son makes a father glad,
while a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
2. Treasure-chests of wickedness do not bring profit,
but righteousness snatches [one] away from death.
Snatches away: or simply delivers, rescues, but with the sense of being pulled out of a dangerous situation as if by a winged raptor.
3. YHWH will not allow the person who does right to starve,
but the [greedy] craving of the wicked He pushes out of [His] way.
Pushes out of His way: or deposes, thrusts away.
4. He who works with a slack palm will suffer lack,
but the hand that digs in deeply makes rich.
Digs in deeply: or is diligent, sharp, pointed, decisive.
5. He who gathers in summer is an attentive son;
he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who puts [a parent] to shame.
6. Blessings [come] to the head of the one who does right,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7. The memory of those who do right brings a blessing,
while the name of the wicked will rot away.
8. The wise of heart welcomes orders,
but the [one with] quarrelsome lips will be thrust aside.
Quarrelsome: or taking nothing seriously, mocking when guilty, despising wisdom, taking liberties.
9. The one who walks with integrity walks securely,
but the one who twists his ways will become known.
Known: Infamous, not famous—will be exposed for what he is, “outed” in modern terminology.
10. One who winks an eye causes trauma,
but the [one with] quarrelsome lips will be thrust aside.
Trauma: pain, trouble, sorrow, injury; the term means all of these. Part of verse 8 is repeated, probably to be sure we heard it!
11. The mouth of the righteous is a source of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Again, the latter half of verse 6 is repeated, for the same phrases have multiple fruitful contrasts.
12. Hatred stirs up [numerous] contentions,
but love spreads a covering over all [kinds of] offenses.
1 Cor. 13:4-7 is a commentary on this verse that brings out many of its possible meanings.
13. Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
whereas the rod is for the back of the one who lacks a heart.
Not a popular thought nowadays, but modern philosophies have not stood the test of time like these.
14. Wise people store up treasures of knowledge,
but destruction is near the mouth of the quarrelsome.
15. A rich man’s wealth makes his town strong,
while their poverty is the destruction of the poor.
While hoarding riches is an evil thing, riches themselves have much potential for good. And while becoming poor by giving to others can be a noble thing, unintentional, rampant poverty is a scourge.
16. The hard work of the righteous is rewarded with life,
while the wages of the wicked [end up going] to a misguided pursuit.
Rewarded: compensated, repaid. Misguided: literally, sinful (that is, missing the target).
17. One who pays close attention to discipline is [on] a path to life,
while the one who forsakes correction will wander aimlessly.
Wander: or stagger, go astray, err.
18. One who [deceitfully] hides hatred brings [grave] disappointment,
and whoever lets slander come out—he is dull-minded!
Slander: defamation, putting someone else in a bad light, character assassination. Dull-minded: foolish, stupid, arrogant—i.e., short-sighted because he thinks only of himself.
19. If you talk a lot, you can’t avoid crossing the line,
so the one who puts a check on his lips is smart.
Check: limits, a restraint; he holds back, and knows when to stop.
20. The tongue of a righteous person is choice silver,
but the heart of criminals [seems] as if [it is] getting smaller.
Smaller: or insignificant; a diminished heart is the opposite of the magnanimous, whose words enrich the lives of those around them.
21. The lips of the righteous nourish many,
While the careless die through lack of [thoughtful] reflection.
22. The blessing of YHWH—that is what makes [one] rich,
and He does not add painful labor with it.
We don’t have to break our backs to get the best things in life, which YHWH offers freely to those who act in agreement with the way to true prosperity that He has laid out (the Torah).
23. Doing mischief seems like a game to a fool,
but a man of discernment has wisdom.
24. What the wicked fear will come upon them,
while the righteous will be given what they long for.
25. As the storm-wind passes by, then the wicked is no longer there,
while the one who does right is a foundation that lasts a long age.
26. Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes
is the lazy person to those who send him.
Irritating!
27. Awed reverence [for] YHWH adds days [to one’s life],
but the years of the wicked will be cut short.
28. Righteous people can expect to be glad,
but what the wicked hope for will vanish.
The wicked (any who intentionally resist what YHWH has laid out to be right and true) are living according to an illusion, so what they expect will never materialize, but is like a mirage that only seems to be there.
29. The way of YHWH is a [secure] refuge to a person of integrity,
while destruction [will come] to the perpetrators of harm.
30. The one who does right will never, ever be dislodged,
but the wicked can never settle down [in one] land.
31. The mouth of the righteous increases wisdom,
but the tongue [full of] perversions will be cut off.
Increases: or, bears the fruit of.
32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the lips of the wicked [know only] perverse things.
Perverse: changed or turned around from what it is supposed to be.
CHAPTER 11
1. Dishonest scales are repulsive to YHWH,
but a full weight is his delight.
Dishonest: or deceitful, treacherous, fraudulent, false—from a term that suggests being inflated or raised as if higher than it really is; full weight—a complete stone, literally, rather than one chipped or filed away so it only looks like the weight it is supposed to represent, but actually comes short of the true amount so that the buyer is sold short.
2. After pride, then comes shame,
but there is wisdom with the humble.
Compare 27:2, which gives the solution for those confident about their abilities who nonetheless do not want to be arrogant.
3. The integrity of the upright will guide them,
but the crooked dealing of the treacherous will be their ruin.
4. Riches are no advantage in the day of fury,
but doing the right thing rescues [one] from death.
5. The right actions of the man of integrity will make his way smooth,
while the evildoer will fail through his own wrongdoing.
Adapted from a translation by AnaYah Akpelu.
6. The correct actions of the upright will rescue them,
while the treacherous will be caught in their own [engulfing] lust.
7. When a wicked person dies, what [he] eagerly hopes for will be lost [with him],
and what he expected [to get] from his struggle perishes.
8. The righteous will be pulled out of a tight spot,
and the wicked will come into the same position as he [had been in].
Or, it will come to the wicked instead of him.
9. A profane person destroys his neighbor with his mouth,
but righteous ones are delivered through knowledge.
Profane: or impious, hypocritical.
10. When it goes well for the righteous, the city celebrates,
but [there is] a ringing shout of joy when evil [things] are done away with.
11. Through the blessing of the upright, a city is raised [to a] higher [position],
but by the mouth of wicked ones, it is ruined.
Ruined: or torn down, overthrown, destroyed.
12. The one who lacks a heart holds his neighbor in contempt,
but a man of [many] skills keeps [him] silent.
Keeps him silent: or restrains him, restrains his (own) tongue.
13. One who keeps a rumor going exposes [what should remain] secret,
but [one with] a reliable disposition keeps a matter covered up.
“Loose lips sink ships”, in other words.
14. Where there are no directions, a people will fall,
but where there are many counselors, there is safety.
Directions: or guides, advisors. Safety: or deliverance, victory.
15. Someone who co-signs for a stranger will get in real trouble,
but one who avoids shaking hands [in pledge] will be safe.
16. What an elegant woman holds onto is dignity,
but what ruthless [men] grasp for is treasure.
Elegant: or gracious, showing favor, one who already has been favored. Dignity: or honor, a good reputation.
17. A kind man brings [good things] back onto himself,
While one who stirs up trouble is cruel to his own flesh.
18. A wicked man does fraudulent work,
But one who sows righteousness [will reap] a genuine return.
A genuine return: or, wages of stability, the reward of truth.
19. Just as doing right [indeed leads] to life,
likewise the one who pursues evil [does so] to his own death.
20. [Those with a] perverted heart are repulsive to YHWH,
but He delights in [those whose] habitual way [is one of] integrity.
Perverted: crooked, twisted, stretched from what it was designed to be. Integrity: just the opposite—something wholesome, unimpaired, innocent or unspoiled.
21. [Though] hand in hand the evil [conspire, they will] not be acquitted [as if innocent],
while the descendants of the righteous [will be] allowed to go free.
22. Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who turns away discretion.
Discretion: good taste, judgment, discernment.
23. What the righteous desire is emphatically appropriate;
what the wicked hope for is excessive.
Appropriate: beneficial, good, pleasant, right. Excessive: overflowing, arrogant, surpassing limits.
24. There is one who dispenses freely, yet increases all the more,
and [another] who withholds more than is due, [leading] only to lack.
To worldly wisdom, haSatan’s logic, this is ironic, but to YHWH’s it is the norm and the rule.
25. The soul [that] blesses [others] will become prosperous,
and the one who waters abundantly will himself also receive of the watering.
Become prosperous: literally, grow fat. Waters: to the point of saturation.
26. The one who holds back grain will be a curse to the nation,
but blessing is upon the head of the one who sells [it].
A curse: literally, one who bores holes or perforates—as if to make what is stored up leak away. I.e., he is a drain on the land.
27. The one who gets up early to search diligently for good will attain the favor he seeks,
while [if] one inquires hard after trouble, it will come to him.
28. The one who trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will sprout forth like foliage.
29. The one who causes trouble in his own home will inherit [only] wind,
While the servant of [such a] quarrelsome [one will come to belong] to the wise of heart.
30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And the one who takes [other] souls along [with him] is wise.
Tree of life: at least a partial reparation for what we lost in the Garden of Eden, but we would not want to enjoy such blessings alone when we could bring many others with us.
31. If those who do right in the land will indeed get back what they deserve;
how much more those who do wrong and miss the target?
32. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But the one who hates to be reproved will be consumed away.
Discipline: he will be an expert in the field in which he learns by his initial mistakes, but the one who refuses correction will literally be burned away because he will not change his ways since he incorrigibly thinks he is right.
CHAPTER 12
1. Whoever loves correction loves skill, but the one who hates being reproved is stupid.
Correction makes one better, even if it stings at first. Stupid: brutish, like an animal of less intelligence, because he really does not understand what he is doing.
2. A good [person] obtains favor from YHWH,
But a man with devious intentions He will condemn [as guilty].
3. A human being is never established through wickedness,
But it is hard to dislodge the root of the one who does [what is] right.
4. A capable wife is the crown of her husband,
But one who brings him shame is like rottenness in his bones.
5. The inventive thoughts of the righteous are just,
[but the] pieces of advice [given by] the wicked are deceitful.
6. The words of the wicked set an ambush for blood,
but the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
7. [After a catastrophic] change, the wicked no longer exist,
but the house of those who do right will remain standing.
This may be what Yeshua was thinking of when he spoke of those who build on the sand or the rock before a storm comes through. (Mat. 7:24ff)
8. A man will be praised for his words of good sense,
While one whose heart is perverse will come to be despised.
9. One who is treated with contempt yet has a servant
is better than one who considers himself important but lacks [any] bread.
10. A righteous person considers the feelings of his animal,
but [even] the compassions of wicked people are cruel.
11. He who tills his soil will be satisfied with bread,
but one who chases after worthless pursuits is lacking in heart.
12. The wicked covet [the catch of] evil men’s net,
but the root of the righteous will provide [them with fruit].
13. A bad [person] is trapped when he crosses a line with his lips,
but the righteous will emerge out of a tight spot.
14. By the fruit if his lips, a man will be satisfied with good,
And the recompense of a man’s hands will come back to him.
15. A fool thinks he is always right,
But the one who listens to advice is wise.
Fool: someone who mocks when he is guilty, is quarrelsome, despises wisdom, or takes liberties where he should not. Advice: in particular, counsel with a purpose.
16. A fool is revealed on the day of his wrath,
while a sensible person conceals what is disgraceful.
“Love covers up [other people’s] mistakes.” (10:12)
17. He who pants after faithfulness makes righteousness known,
but a fraudulent witness [exudes] deceitfulness.
18. There is one who speaks rashly like the stabbings of a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Stabbings: He throws his words around aimlessly without thinking about where they may land of whom they may hurt.
19. The reliable lip will be established perpetually,
but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment.
20. Deceitfulness is in the heart of those who plot evil,
but for those who advise peace, there will be joy.
21. For the righteous there will not be occasion to meet all kinds of sorrow,
but the wicked have had their fill of trouble.
22. Lying lips are repulsive to YHWH,
but those who deal faithfully are His delight.
23. A sensible person conceals what he knows,
but the heart of the senseless blurts out foolishness.
24. The hand of the diligent will keep gaining [more and more] mastery,
but the one who is slack will end up being set to hard labor.
25. Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs him down,
but an appropriate word makes him glad.
Appropriate: pleasant, kind, good, well-spoken.
26. The righteous should choose their friends carefully,
as the way of the wicked can make them go astray.
27. The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
while the diligent person places high value on the substance he has come to possess.
28. In the way of the righteous there is life,
and the direction of his path does not lead to death.
CHAPTER 13
1. A wise son [accepts the] discipline of a father,
while a mocker has not listened to reproof.
2. From the fruit of [his] mouth a man will eat [what is] good,
but the soul of those who are treacherous [depends on] violence [to get theirs].
3. The one who sets a guard over his mouth protects his own life;
the one who opens his lips wide, ruin [will come] to him.
“Loose lips sink ships” was the World War II-era equivalent.
4. The appetite of the lazy [person] craves but has nothing,
while the soul of those who plow will be prosperous.
5. The righteous [person] hates a deceitful word,
but a wicked [person] makes himself odious and comes to shame.
6. Righteousness keeps a person of integrity safe on the road,
While wickedness perverts the wrongdoer.
7. There is one who enriches himself, yet has nothing at all,
And one who brings himself to poverty, yet has great wealth.
The former is focused on self and thus loses the respect of others; the latter is probably giving away what he owns to the needy, and making many friends.
8. A man’s riches are the ransom of his life,
but those who do not listen to reproof will come to destitution.
9. The light of the righteous ones makes [people] glad,
but the lamp of the wicked ones will be extinguished.
10. Only by arrogance is fighting brought about,
but with the well-advised [there is] wisdom.
11. Great substance is brought to little by empty [fantasies],
but the one who gathers into [his] hand will increase.
This is much like "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush."
12. When what is expected is withdrawn, it makes the heart weak,
but a wish that comes [true] is a tree of life!
13. One who holds the Word in contempt will be ruined [and bound] by corrupt dealings, while the one who holds the commandment in awed respect will be repaid.
14. The instruction of the wise is a source of life,
to ward off the bait that allures one to [the snares of] death.
15. Good insight bestows favor,
while the direction of the treacherous is predictable.
Insight: or even craftiness, possibly a more relevant contrast with treachery.
16. Every shrewd person acts according to knowledge,
while the [arrogant] fool displays his folly [where everyone can see it].
17. A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy [brings] healing.
18. Destitution and dishonor [will come to] the one who lets discipline go loose,
While the one who guards correction [as something to be treasured] will be honored.
Be honored: or treated as important (literally, a heavyweight).
19. A wish that comes true is sweet to the soul,
but to turn away from evil is a distasteful thing to fools.
20. Whoever walks with wise people will [end up] wise,
but whoever associates with stupid people will be yelled at.
21. Those who aim at the wrong things will find that they have been chasing trouble,
But those who do right will be compensated with what is good.
22. A good person leaves a [good] heritage to his children’s children,
but the wealth of those who lose their way is stored up for the righteous.
YHWH makes sure the best things end up with the right persons in the final analysis.
23. [There is] much food [in the] untilled ground of the impoverished,
and there is much wasted where there is no justice.
If the resources were not hoarded or withheld by the greedy, many otherwise-needy people could be very productive.
24. He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But the one who loves him corrects him promptly.
Rod: of correction. This is counter-intuitive in today’s world that cringes before even a spanking, but the earlier generations who seem cruel by current mores knew better. A few “hard knocks” are not as harmful as people think. (Compare 23:13.)
25. The righteous eats to the satisfaction of his soul, while the belly of the wicked is always in want.
The term for “righteous” here is singular, while the term for the “wicked” is plural yet with a single belly. We are righteous when we act as one man; once they walked away from unity, their thoughts went straight to their bellies, but their wishes are insatiable because they are unrealistic.
CHAPTER 14
1. The wisest of women builds up her household,
while foolishness in her hands tears it down.
Wisest: or possibly, the various forms of wisdom, for the adjective itself is plural as well. Foolishness…: or possibly, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
2. The one who fears YHWH walks in His straight [paths],
while the one who is devious in his ways regards Him with contempt.
3. In the mouth of one who despises wisdom [there is] an outgrowth of swollen pride,
but the lips of the wise will [work on their behalf to] preserve them.
Outgrowth: the word for a shoot or branch that grows in an unexpected direction.
4. Where there are no cattle, the feeding trough is clean,
but [there is] great [potential for increased] revenue in the strength of an ox.
We may prefer things neat and tidy, but that is of secondary value to productivity, which is messy during the process.
5. A witness [with] trustworthy [habit]s does not deceive,
but a fraudulent witness breathes out lies.
Breathes out: or pants for, incites, or fans the flames of.
6. When an arrogant skeptic searches for wisdom, there is none [there],
but to the one who is discerning, skill comes easily.
The skeptic is not even sure wisdom exists, and we often find only what we expect to find.
7. Walk away from the presence of one who despises understanding
when you have not detected in him knowledgeable words.
Words: literally lips.
8. The wisdom of the shrewd helps [him] understand the direction he [should take],
But the folly of those who do not value understanding [will prove] deceptive [to them].
9. Fools mock at [those who cross a line and incur] guilt,
but among the upright there is goodwill [and acceptance].
10. [One’s] heart knows the bitterness of his own soul,
and a stranger cannot share its joy.
11. The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
while the tent of the upright will flourish.
Wicked: especially one hostile to YHWH. One might think of a house as more permanent than a tent, but it all depends on whether one is working with reality or against reality.
12. There is a level path right in front of a man,
but its final ending-point is the ways of death.
A level, smooth path might seem the easiest one to travel in life, but one must first check which direction it is heading.
13. Even when laughing, a heart may be in pain,
And the end result of merriment may be sorrow.
14. One who lets his heart slip backward will be satisfied with his own habits,
But one who rises above himself is a good man.
15. The naïve believes everything [anyone says],
But the prudent gives careful consideration to his steps.
Naïve: literally, open-minded.
16. The wise [person] is uneasy and turns away from evil,
but a fool barrels right on through the barricades and is carelessly self-confident.
17. A short-tempered [person] accomplishes [only] folly,
and a man with bad intentions will be hated.
18. The naïve take folly as a possession,
but the shrewd surround [themselves] with knowledge.
19. The evil will be humbled before the good,
and the wicked [will bow down] upon the gates of the righteous.
Be humbled: includes the sense of bowing down as in the parenthesis.
20. The destitute is resented even by his fellow [beggars],
while the rich have many who love [him].
This is an observation, not necessarily a recommendation of what our attitudes should be.
21. He who holds his fellow in contempt is in error,
but he who takes pity on the down-and -out will be blessed!
22. Aren’t those who devise evil misled?
But kindness and faithfulness [will come to] those who make plans [to do] good.
23. In all hard labor there is profit.
but mere talk from the lips [leads to] lacking what is needed.
24. The crown of the wise is wealth,
but the foolishness of arrogant fools [only] leads to folly.
Wise: or skillful. Crown: in the sense of receiving a reward for one’s choices.
25. A truthful witness saves lives,
but a deceitful [one] breathes out lies.
26. In the fear of YHWH there is powerful security,
and his children will have a place of refuge.
27. The [awed] respect of YHWH is a fountain of life,
for the turning away from the things that allure [one] to death.
Fountain: or simply, source. Allure: the baits that lead us into a trap from which we cannot escape.
28. In the large [size of his] people is the glory of a king,
But when a nation lacks them, [it is the] ruin of a potentate.
Glory: or adornment that honors him. What king can become wealthy without many subjects giving him tribute?
29. [In] slowness [to] anger [there is] great understanding,
but the quick-tempered makes foolishness rise high.
Slowness to anger: literally, with long nostrils. Quick-tempered: or impulsive; the whole phrase could literally read, in an agricultural motif, “Cutting a spirit short makes foolishness grow.”
30. A healthy heart is life to [mortal] flesh,
but agitation [makes the] bones decay.
Heathy: sound; literally, healed, soothed, relaxed. Agitation: or, jealousy, ardor, passion.
31. One who oppresses the poor has defied his Maker,
but one who shows consideration for the needy honors Him.
Defied: or reproached, taunted; literally, said [or done] sharp things against. It is as if he is challenging the laws of the universe—“kicking against the goads”, so to speak—or daring YHWH to prove He is their protector. The term is related to the Hebrew word for winter, when the weather is severe or cutting. Honors Him: literally, gives Him weight or due importance.
32. For his unkindness the wicked [one] will be toppled,
But the righteous, [even] when he is dying, has a [place to] seek refuge.
Toppled: thrust away: cast out, pushed down, banished, driven away, destabilized.
33. In the heart of a man of discernment, wisdom finds a place to settle down [to rest],
But the innermost [thoughts] of fools will be exposed.
34. Doing right will set a nation in a high position,
but sin is a shame to [all] peoples.
35. An attentive servant has the king’s goodwill [and favor],
but an outburst of his fury will come [upon] the one who brings him shame.
CHAPTER 15
1. A gentle answer turns away the heat [of fury],
but an offensive word stirs up anger.
We can either escalate or de-escalate a conflict by our tone of voice. Offensive: harsh, hurtful.
2. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge for good [purposes],
but [from] the mouth of the overconfident, foolishness gushes out.
Overconfident: the word includes the senses of both arrogance and stupidity or dulled senses.
3. The eyes of YHWH are in every place,
watching those who are bad and those who are good.
4. [The] healing [in the] tongue is a tree of life,
but crookedness in it [brings a] shattering within [the] spirit.
5. A fool despises his father’s discipline,
but the one who puts a high value on correction will become [warily] sensible.
6. The house of the righteous [holds] an abundance of treasure,
but the income of the wicked stirs up trouble.
Income: revenue or produce, harvest, crops--or his products.
7. The lips of the wise spread [the seeds of] knowledge,
but the intention of fools is not to do so.
Fools want to have exclusive monopolies on what they know so they can retain an advantage rather than altruistically helping all of humanity make progress.
8. The offering of the wicked is repulsive to YHWH,
but the prayer of the upright brings Him pleasure.
9. The way of the wicked is repulsive to YHWH,
But He loves the one who [ardently and eagerly] pursues righteousness.
10. Discipline is disagreeable to the one who abandons the [right] path,
But the one who hates correction will die.
As it is, the one path to life is found by only a few (Mat. 7:14), so death is not a punishment for leaving that path, but the natural consequence.
11. The underworld and [the place of] ultimate destruction are [wide open and conspicuous] before [the eyes of] YHWH;
how much more the hearts of the children of Adam?
12. A scorner does not like someone who shows him to be wrong;
he will not go to the wise.
Go: i.e., for advice or help or insight.
13. A joyful heart improves [one’s] face,
But by sorrow of heart, [one’s very] breath is driven away.
Driven away: or defeated, stricken, conquered.
14. The discerning heart seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of arrogant fools feeds on folly.
Mouth: alt. reading, face.
15. All the days of the afflicted are bad,
but the good of heart [has a] feast all the time.
Afflicted: possibly, victim—for one who sees himself that way is bound to be pessimistic, whereas the optimist can find his glass at least half full and therefore be thankful in any circumstance.
16. Better is a little with the awed respect of YHWH
than great treasure with confusion over it.
Confusion: disquietude, panic, disturbance. Many extenuating problems often accompany a windfall that can make it hardly worth all the trouble.
17. Better is a meal of green vegetables where there is love
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
18. A man of burning rage stirs up contention,
but one who is slow to anger quiets down a controversy.
Slow to anger: literally, of long nostrils. Quiets a controversy: or settles a dispute.
19. A lazy person’s path is like a prickly hedge,
but the way of the upright is a high road.
The high road is designed to bypass obstacles that one might encounter on a lower-lying path.
20. A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish human being treats his mother with contempt.
21. Foolishness is fun to one who lacks a heart,
but a man of discernment walks straightforwardly.
22. Plans are frustrated when there is no inside advice,
But with many counselors, they will be accomplished.
23. A man has joy in the response of his mouth,
and a word [spoken] at its proper time—how appropriate it is!
24. The path [to] life rises higher for one who [follows it] carefully
in order that he may turn away from the world of the dead below.
25. YHWH will tear down the house of the arrogant,
but He will make the boundary of the widow[’s property] stand firm.
26. Hurtful thoughts are repugnant to YHWH,
But [those of the] pure [bring forth] pleasant words.
27. Someone who is greedy for unjust gain causes trouble [for] his own household,
but one who hates bribes will live [prosperously].
28. The heart of the righteous considers how to respond,
but the mouth of the wicked bubbles forth [with] hurtful things.
29. YHWH is far away from the wicked,
but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
This is still true even if that wicked person is right beside the righteous person referred to here!
30. That which enlightens the eye makes the heart glad,
and good news is [like] lubrication to the bone[s].
31. The ear that heeds a rebuke that brings [one back to] life
will lodge among the wise [and skillful].
32. The one who ignores correction is despising his own soul,
But one who listens to reproof gains a heart [of understanding].
Despising: or rejecting, refusing. He is “shooting himself in the foot”, so to speak. Gains: or acquires.
33. The [healthy] fear of YHWH inculcates wisdom,
And lowering [oneself]comes before honor.
Honor: literally, being treated as weighty or important.
CHAPTER 16
1. The plans of the heart belong to a human being,
but the answer of the tongue is from YHWH.
2. All of a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes,
But YHWH measures spirits.
Measures: or weighs out, tests, analyzes, regulates. Spirits: or disposition, impulses, intentions.
3. Roll your undertakings onto YHWH
and your plans will be provided for.
Roll: idiomatic for “commit”. Plans: thoughts or purposes. Provided for: or, firmly established.
4. YHWH has done everything for His own purposes--
[yes], even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5. Everyone with a haughty heart is repulsive to YHWH;
[even if they join] hand to hand, they will not be exempt from responsibility.
Even those who just did what they were told by powerful conspirators will not be exonerated.
6. By kindness and loyalty what has been bent can be covered for,
and by reverence for YHWH does [one] turn away from evil.
7. When a man’s ways are pleasing to YHWH,
He causes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8. Better is a little with things done rightly
than great revenues [gained] with injustice.
YHWH can accomplish His purposes “by many or by a few” (2 Chron. 14:11), so do the right thing even when it looks like you will come out behind.
9. A human being’s heart plans his way,
but YHWH arranges his steps.
10. [One’s] prospects [ride] on the lips of a king;
he dare not act unfaithfully when rendering judgment.
Prospects: The word is also used for divination, associated with the pagan concepts of destiny or fortune; i.e., what the king says stands, and his word has far-reaching effects for a very long time, so he has no room to make mistakes or act only for his own advantage.
11. A just scale and balances belong to YHWH,
and all the weights in the bag are His business.
12. It is reprehensible for kings to act unethically,
because a throne is firmly established through doing what is right.
13. Ethical lips are the delight of kings,
and they will love someone who speaks [of] straightforward matters.
Shlomo was an expert on how a king’s mind operates, and here he provides his subjects with several “tricks” of how to have smooth relations with their ruler.
14. A king’s rage [sends out] messengers of death,
but a wise man is able to pacify it.
15. There is life in a king’s smile,
and his favor is like a cloud [full of] spring rains.
Smile: idiomatic; literally, light of his face.
16. How much better is it to acquire wisdom than the hardest-to-mine gold,
And to obtain discernment is to be chosen over silver.
17. The fast lane to smooth [path]s is to turn away from evil,
And one who watches [carefully which] direction he [walks] will preserve his life.
Preserve: or protect, guard.
18. Arrogance is what precedes ruin
and a haughty motive [comes right] before calamity.
Ruin: literally, a shattering, breakage, or crash.
19. Better to be of humble spirit with the poor
than to divide plunder with the proud.
20. Whoever pays close attention to a word will find good,
and how blessed is one who trusts in YHWH.
21. The wise of heart will be called intelligent,
and sweetness of the lips increases persuasiveness.
22. Good sense is a source of life for those who have it
but it is foolish to correct one who mocks wisdom.
23. The heart of the wise considers his mouth carefully,
and to his lips he adds the ability to teach.
24. Pleasant words are like a comb of honey--
Sweetness to the soul and healing for the bones.
25. There is a path in front of a man that [looks] straight,
But its end is the directions of death.
Things are not always as straightforward as they seem.
26. The laborer works hard for his own [benefit],
because his mouth urges him [onward].
His hunger keeps him working even if he may be lazy.
27. An unprofitable man digs up trouble,
and it is on his lips like a burning fire.
28. A man of perversions lets a fight break loose,
And a whispering talebearer separates intimate friends.
29. A man of violence takes advantage of his fellow person’s persuasibility,
And leads him in a direction that is not good.
30. He winks his eye to devise perversities;
He purses his lips to complete [the accomplishment of] what is bad.
31. [White] hair is a crown of splendor;
it is found in the way of righteousness.
If one is not righteous, but perverse or violent, or simply foolish, he may not make it all the way to old age.
32. It is better [to be] slow to anger than [to be] strong [and brave],
And one who rules over his own spirit [is better] than one who can capture a city.
33. The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from YHWH.
THE
Proverbs
OF KING SHLOMOH
INTRODUCTION: Full of Hebrew parallelisms that both help set the context and provide nuances of meaning, King Shlomoh may not have written all of these, but probably collected many of them from all of his many international diplomatic contacts just as he collected animal and plant specimens from around the world for his museum. But they are concise bits of wisdom that can be applied in many situations.
