CHAPTER 17
1. A piece of dry bread with peace
is better than a house full of slaughtered [meat with] strife.
2. An attentive servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
and will be assigned an inheritance among [his] brothers.
3. The crucible is for silver and the smelting-forge for gold,
but YHWH puts hearts to the test!
4. An evildoer pays attention to lips [that cause] trouble;
Deceivers give ear to a malicious tongue.
5. One who mocks the destitute defies his Maker;
One who is glad about a calamity will not go unpunished.
6. Grandchildren are a crown of the aged,
But children boast about their parents.
7. Excellent speech does not befit one who is senseless;
Much less lying lips to a nobleman.
Speech: literally, lips. Nobleman: or, one who is generous and willing—for he would raise false hopes in those who hear him.
8. An elegant [gem]stone is the reward in the eyes of the one who possesses it;
Wherever he turns he will be given attention.
Reward: or gift, bribe. Given attention: or, prosper.
9. One who seeks [to be] loved covers over a trespass,
but one who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
Covers over: i.e., tries to get others to overlook another’s mistake, or does not make it an issue in how he treats him.
10. [One] rebuke goes deeper into a wise man
than a hundred blows [by which one strikes] a fool.
11. An evil man will certainly seek to [foment a] rebellion,
so a cruel messenger will be sent out to him.
12. A man [would do better] to encounter a bear bereaved [of its cubs]
rather than a fool in his folly.
13. Whoever pays someone back with evil instead of good,
Trouble will never depart from his household.
14. The beginning of a fight is like letting water loose,
so abandon an argument before it breaks out.
I.e., you will not be able to stop it once you let it start.
15. Whoever justifies the wicked does wrong to the righteous;
Both of them alike are reprehensible to YHWH.
The first phrase is a play on words, turning each of the root words (just and wicked) around in the opposite direction to show that when one side of the equation is out of balance, the other side will necessarily be as well.
16. Why is there a purchase-price in the hand of a fool for a skillful acquisition,
when he has no sense?
17. A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a distressing [time].
18. A person lacking sense strikes a hand [in pledge]
And cosigns as a guarantor in his fellow’s presence.
19. One who likes to break rules likes a fight,
And whoever raises his doorway is looking for a fracture.
Break rules: or trespass. Raises his doorway: so that he might trip over the threshold? Or possibly, boasts about his open-mindedness. But in context of the first phrase, it may be speaking of opening the entryway to his tent and leaving it unguarded so that others might trespass on his own property and retaliate against him for the lines he himself crossed.
20. Someone with a perverted heart attains to nothing good,
and one who changes [direction] with his tongue falls into trouble.
Attain to: or, finds; this may be a basis for “To the pure all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience are defiled.” (Titus 1:15) Changes with his tongue: i.e., he changes his story to suit circumstances, but he is likely to forget whom he told what and give away the fact that he is a liar.
21. One who begets an arrogant fool [does so] to his own sorrow,
and the father of a senseless person has no joy.
22. A joyful heart works well as a cure,
But a beaten-down spirit dries up [one’s] limbs.
23. A wicked person accepts a bribe from [hidden] within [one’s cloak]
to bend the progress of justice.
Progress: or processes.
24. With a person of understanding present, [there is] wisdom,
but the eyes of an arrogant fool are on the ends of the earth.
Ends: the extremities, including everything within them, so he wants to have power over or ownership of everything he sees, rather than being realistic about what he can actually influence or accomplish.
25. A foolish son is a frustration to his father,
and bitterness to her who gave him birth.
26. It is not good to penalize the righteous;
it is just [as bad] to attack the generous for their uprightness.
27. The one who is familiar with knowledge keeps his words in check;
A man of discernment maintains a cool, [calm] spirit.
28. Even a fool who keeps quiet may be thought [to be] wise,
And a perceptive person keeps his lips shut tightly.
CHAPTER 18
1. One who isolates himself [is only] looking out for his own appetites,
and bares [his teeth] against all sound judgment.
Bares his teeth: or breaks out in quarreling. YHWH wants us to have one another’s interests at heart, not just our own, and fighting to get our own way only wreaks havoc.
2. An arrogant fool has no desire for understanding,
but only for expressing his own heart.
3. When a wicked person comes, contempt comes along [with him],
and with dishonor [comes] scorn.
Dishonor: or shame, disgrace. Do not expect to be treated with respect by those described above.
4. The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters,
A brook flowing forth [from a] wellspring of wisdom!
5. It is not good to lift up the faces of the wicked;
[it serves] to turn aside the righteous in a court case.
Lift up the faces: an idiom for showing partiality or favoring them.
6. Lips of a fool come with a quarrel,
And his mouth calls for punches.
Punches: asking for a fight; or possibly, the strokes of a beating that his words will make him deserve.
7. A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are a trap [for] his soul.
8. The words of a gossip are like tasty delicacies one gulps down,
And they go down into the innermost part of the belly!
9. One who is slack in his workmanship
is a brother to a demolition expert!
Either way, what he makes will quickly fall apart, and most likely harm the one using it.
10. The name of YHWH is a strongly-fortified tower;
The righteous run into it and they are unassailable.
Unassailable: safe and secure, because they are in a high place inaccessible to attackers; the term is used in a slightly-different way in the next verse:
11. A rich man’s wealth is the “city of his strength”,
like an inaccessibly-high wall—in his own imagination!
12. A man’s heart becomes haughty just before it [experiences a] shattering,
but humility comes just before honor.
These are predicters of outcomes those experiencing them may not expect—in either direction. Humility: or a lowering of oneself, [positive] condescension, gentleness, modesty.
13. He who returns [an answer about] a matter before listening,
it is folly to him and shame.
14. The spirit of a man can sustain him through a sickness,
but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15. The heart of the perceptive acquires knowledge,
and knowledge [is what] the ear of the wise seeks out.
16. A man’s donation makes plenty of room for him
and makes it possible for him to stand before [the] great.
17. The first one [to plead] his [cause] in a dispute [seems to be] in the right
[until] his fellow then comes to cross-examine him.
18. The [casting of the] lot puts an end to disputes,
and decides between strenuous contenders.
Decides: literally, parts, distinguishes, i.e., makes a watershed into only two different possible outcomes, no matter how strong or brave the competitors are in their own right.
19. A brother [who is] transgressed against [is harder to conquer] than a strong city
And quarrelsome [men can be more stubborn than] the bars of [the gates to] a fortress.
20. From the fruit of his mouth will a man’s belly be satisfied
And from the produce of his lips will he [eat until he is] full.
Fruit if his mouth: his words, which can pave a smooth path before him. (Compare v. 16.)
21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Power: literally, hand.
22. He who has found a wife has found [something] beneficial
And obtains a delightful [gift] from [the hand of] YHWH.
23. An impoverished person voices earnest pleas for a favor
But the rich may answer with fierce [words].
24. A man [who wants] friends must himself [prove to] be a friend,
and there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
CHAPTER 19
1. Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
than one who twists his lips and is a fool.
Twists his lips: i.e., speaks in a crooked way.
2. It is also not good for a person to be without knowledge,
and whoever pressed with his feet [to urge someone on] will go the wrong [way].
3. A human being’s own foolishness undermines his path,
yet his heart is enraged against YHWH!
Undermines: subverts or twists, perverts, turns upside down, makes it disappear. Yet…: He blames YHWH for what he has done to himself.
4. Wealth brings one many more friends,
while the poor gets separated from his companion.
Some of these are mere observations about tendencies, not statements about how things should be. (See also verses 6 and 7.)
5. A false witness will not go unpunished,
and the one who breathes out lies will not get away [with it].
He may not get caught by humans, but YHWH knows all that he does.
6. Many are “beggars” in the presence of the generous,
and everyone is the “friend” of one who gives gifts!
Beggars: weakened or sick.
7. All the brothers of a poor [man] hate him; how much more will some of his friends distance themselves from him, [though] he runs after them [with] words?
8. Whoever acquires a heart [of understanding] loves his own soul;
the one who guards discernment will find [what is] good.
9. A false witness will not go unpunished,
and the one who breathes out lies is lost!
This nearly repeats verse 5, but with a more definitive finale.
10. Luxurious comfort is not appropriate for a fool;
how much less for a servant to rule over princes?
11. The discretion of a human being makes him slow to anger,
And [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression.
Makes him slow to anger: literally, lengthens his nostrils. Transgression: in this case, just something that crosses a line humans would prefer that someone not overstep, rather than an actual sin against YHWH. To overlook others’ mistakes when possible ingratiates them to us.
12. A king’s rage roars like a young lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
Roars: or snarls, growls. A lion’s roar can be heard up to 5 miles (8 km.) away, but a young lion’s roar is more truly threatening, because it still has its teeth; older, toothless lions often roar to scare prey toward younger ones that can still hunt. (magichills.com)
13. A foolish son is the engulfing ruin of his father,
while the contentions of a wife are like a constant dripping.
Engulfing ruin: connotes falling into a chasm from which you cannot climb out, and is compared to greedy desire that swallows up whatever comes near it. Contentions: or brawlings, strife. Constant: includes the sense of something you cannot get away from.
14. A house and substance are the inheritance [from] fathers,
but an understanding wife is from YHWH.
Understanding: covers the gamut of meaning from circumspect and insightful to considerate and attentive to one’s needs.
15. Laziness makes one fall into a deep sleep,
and a person who is slack will go hungry.
16. The one who keeps the commandment guards his own soul;
the one who is careless about his paths will die.
Keeps…guards: the same word in Hebrew (shomer—to watch over closely, hedge about, protect).
17. One who shows mercy to the poor is lending to YHWH,
and He will repay him in full.
Those are win-win economics for everyone!
18. Discipline your son, because there is hope,
But don’t let yourself get carried away, causing his death!
I.e., correct him earnestly, but don’t beat him to the point of true injury.
19. [One who lets his] rage become harsh will bear a penalty,
Unless you rescue [him], but then you will [only] have to do it all over again.
20. Listen to [good] advice and receive correction,
So that you may become wise later in your [life].
21. There are many plans in a man’s heart,
But YHWH’s purpose is what will [remain firmly] established.
22. What is desirable [in] a man is his kindness,
And it is better [to be] a poor man than a liar.
23. The awed respect [for] YHWH [leads] to life, and one can rest with satisfaction
[that] he will not be assigned to evil [when inspected].
24. A lazy man keeps his hand hidden [deep] in the bowl;
he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth!
25. Deal a blow to a scoffer and the naïve may become sensible;
rebuke a discerning person, and he will learn to be perceptive.
Sensible: or wary, shrewd, more cautious, less likely to leave himself unguarded.
26. One who mistreats a father [or] drives away a mother
is a son [who] brings disappointment and embarrassment.
27. My son, stop listening to correction
and you will stray [into] error, talking of things [you don’t] know about.
28. Worthless evidence makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked gobbles up trouble.
29. [The institution of] court sentences was established for scorners,
and beatings [were invented] for the backs of fools.
If it weren’t for the fact that such people exist and thrive, no one would see a need for such distasteful entities.
CHAPTER 20
1. Wine is a mocker, and beer is a boisterous [character],
And whoever staggers [from] it is not acting wisely.
2. The terror of a king is like the roaring of a young lion;
whoever crosses him sins against his own soul.
Sins: Here it means jeopardizing one’s life, rather than doing something guilty in YHWH’s eyes. But on the physical level, the practical result may be the same.
3. It is an honor for a man to stop a fight,
but any fool can make [the quarrel] break out [from within himself].
4. The lazy man will not plow due to [it still being] winter,
But when he asks [for it] during the harvest, [he will] have nothing.
5. The purpose in a man’s heart [is like] deep water,
but a man of discernment will draw it out.
Deep water: too dark to see anything in.
6. Lots of human beings will each proclaim their own kindness,
but a trustworthy man who can find?
7. A righteous [person] directs his walk into integrity,
And his children after him will be blessed.
8. A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all [kinds of] evil with his eyes.
A mere look from him will strike fear in the hearts of would-be wrongdoers, whose plots will be broken apart and dispersed.
9. Who can say, “I have made my heart clean;
I am purified from my sin”?
Because the twisted nature has gotten into our very bloodstream and DNA, merely “turning over a new leaf” will not rid us of the inclination to evil. But YHWH can accomplish what we cannot, giving us a “new heart and a new spirit”. (Y’hezq’El/Ezek. 36:26)
10. A weight that [differs from another] weight and a measurement [that differs from another] measurement [which is called by the same name]—both of them alike are despicable to YHWH!
Weight: literally, stone—used to balance the scale with the amount of silver or gold being measured out. The Torah specifies what is required in this regard. (Deut. 25:13-14)
11. Even a young child is recognized by his habits--
whether his actions are pure and upright.
12. The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
YHWH has made both of them.
13. Don’t be too fond of sleep, or you’ll be seized by poverty;
open your eyes [wide], and you will be satisfied with bread.
14. “Bad! Bad!”, says the buyer,
But when he has left, then he brags about it!
About it: i.e., the “great bargain” he got this item for.
15. There exist gold and many [kinds of] previous stones,
But knowledgeable lips are an implement of great value.
16. Take [in pledge] the garment of one who has exchanged [promises] with a stranger,
and if it’s in regard to a foreign woman, tie him up!
17. Bread [gained by] deceitfulness is sweet to a man,
But later his mouth will filled with gravel.
18. Plans are established through good advice,
and war is accomplished through wise directions.
19. One who walks [around] as a scandal-monger uncovers secret counsel,
And do not exchange pledges with one who persuades [the gullible with] his lips.
20. Whoever treats his father or mother with contempt,
his lamp will be extinguished [when he is] amid the deepest darkness.
Treats with contempt: or, makes light of, curses, slights, dishonors, acts as if they are of little account.
21. Property gained by greed at the beginning
will not be turned into a blessing later.
22. Do not say, “I will pay back evil!”
Look to YHWH for your expectation, and He will bring you deliverance.
23. [One] stone and [another] stone are reprehensible to YHWH
And deceitful balances are not appropriate.
Stone and stone: i.e., differing weights called by the same name. (See v. 10.)
24. A valiant man’s steps are from YHWH,
and what human being can discern his own path?
25. It is a snare for a human being to rashly [set something apart as] holy,
Then later go looking for the thing he had devoted [with a vow].
Go looking: try to get it back, reconsider, retract it.
26. A wise king winnows the wicked
then repeatedly brings a [threshing] wheel back over them.
Wise: or skillful. Winnows: sifts by tossing them up for the wind to scatter away the worthless parts. Threshing wheel: to separate the grain heads from the stalks. This king can tell the difference between the weighty and the worthless among his subjects by putting them to the test.
27. The human spirit is YHWH’s lamp,
Searching out all the innermost rooms.
Spirit: specifically, an exhaling, differing from the soul, which is just the opposite—an aspiring.
28. Kindness and faithfulness keep guard over a king,
and he upholds his throne through kindness.
Being true to those over whom he rules will keep him in his position better than the intrigues by which wicked kings try to maintain their power.
29. The glory of choice young men is their strength,
while the ornament of the aged is a head of white hair.
30. Blows that bruise scour away what is bad,
and wounds [clean out] the innermost rooms.
The “school of hard knocks” streamlines our lives, culling away our worthless pursuits.
CHAPTER 21
1. In the hands of YHWH, the king’s heart is like channels of water;
He turns it in whatever [direction] He wishes.
2. Everyone sees his own way as right,
But YHWH measures [what is inside] hearts.
3. To do what is right and just
Is preferable to YHWH over [offering a] slaughtered [animal].
4. Haughty eyes, a greedy heart,
and the plowing of the wicked [are] sin.
Greedy: or arrogant; literally, broad, wide, liberal. Sin: or errors, mistakes, off-track.
5. The plans of a diligent [person will lead] to abundance, for sure,
But all [those] of [one who is] hasty, to poverty, for sure.
6. Achieving treasures through a lying tongue
Is a fleeting fantasy of those who are seeking death!
Fleeting: literally, driven (as by the wind), something that can quickly fly away and be lost.
7. [The oppressive] devastation of the wicked will drag them away
because they refuse to carry out justice.
8. The path of a criminal is crooked,
But [as for one who is] pure, [the one] he makes is straight.
Criminal: or, guilty man; crooked: winding, full of twists and turns. There are some alliterative plays on words in the Hebrew of this verse.
9. [It is] better to dwell on the corner of a rooftop
than to share a house with a woman who likes to fight.
10. The appetite of the wicked craves trouble;
he will not find favor in the eyes of his fellow [man].
11. When someone who talks [too] big is made to pay [for it], the naïve learn wisdom,
but when the wise [is given something more] to consider, he acquires perceptiveness.
12. The righteous one pays attention to the house of the wicked
To overthrow the wicked for his evil.
Righteous one: possibly referring to YHWH Himself. Overthrow: or overturn, bring to ruin.
13. Whoever stops his ears from the outcry of the poor,
he too will cry out and not be answered.
“What goes around comes around” when it is his turn.
14. A gift [given] in secret soothes anger,
and a present [placed] into the inside [pocket pacifies] fierce rage.
15. It is a joy for the righteous to do justice,
but to troublemakers [it seems it will bring them to] ruin.
16. A person who wanders from the way of understanding
will be left in the company of slackers.
17. One who loves celebrations [will become] a poor man,
and one who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
Wine and oil: an idiom for luxury goods; i.e., he will become wealthy only by not trying to appear wealthy before he really is, and by developing more modest tastes, he will be able to save up what he would have wasted on “designer labels” and “name brands”, whose quality is only slightly superior and not proportional to their price; they serve only to give one a dubious reputation.
18. A wicked person is a ransom for one who is righteous,
and the treacherous [are charged] in place of the upright.
Shlomo may have had Deuteronomy 19:16-19 in mind: “If a hostile witness should rise up against a man to accuse him of treason, then both of the men who have the dispute shall stand in YHWH's presence before the cohanim or judges who shall be [in office] in those days. When the judges investigate thoroughly, if the witness turns out to [be bringing] fraudulent evidence or bringing a false accusation against his brother, you shall do to him just what he had plotted to do to his brother; thus you shall burn away the crookedness from your midst.”
19. [It is] better to live in an uninhabited land
than [with] a woman [who is] contentious and easily provoked.
20. [There are] desirable treasure and [the best kind of] oil in the abode of the wise,
but the foolish [among] human being[s] swallows it up.
Swallows it up: consumes, destroys, ruins, or squanders it. (Thayer)
21. The one who pursues righteousness and kindness
finds life, righteousness, and honor.
He gets what he is looking for and much more than he asked for. Yeshua may have based “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Mat 5:6) on this.
22. A wise man scales [the wall and goes up into] a city of valiant warriors
and brings down [the] stronghold in which [they] trusted.
They may be mighty and heroic, but the smart can still trump the strong.
23. Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue
preserves himself from [many kinds of] distress.
24. A proud, arrogant [man]—“Scoffer” is his name—
acts with an excess of presumption.
25. The appetite of the lazy man gets him killed
because his hands refuse to work.
Appetite: or desire, longing, thing he covets. I.e., he probably steals what he wants and is caught by someone better-armed than he.
26. All day long he covets the object of his desire,
whereas the righteous gives and does not hold back.
27. The slaughtered [offering] of the wicked is repulsive;
how much more when he brings it with evil intent?
28. A witness [who uses] deceptive [evidence]s will lose,
but the man who listens attentively will have the last word.
Have the last word: literally, speak for victory or to make it all the way through to the end.
29. A wicked man [shows himself] bold on his face,
but the upright one is the [person] who prepares his path [properly].
I.e., one looks firm and threatening, but the other actually makes solid, formidable plans.
30. No one is smart or skillful enough to out-plan YHWH.
Or, there is no one wise enough to successfully conspire against YHWH.
31. A horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory belongs to YHWH.
He is the one who decides the outcome.
CHAPTER 22
1. A reputation is rather to be chosen than great wealth,
and good favor more than silver or gold.
2. The rich and the poor have this in common:
YHWH is the Maker of them all.
Have this in common: literally, meet or encounter one another.
3. A sensible [person] sees trouble [coming] and hides himself,
but the naïve go on ahead and pay the penalty.
4. On the heels of humility and the reverential awe of YHWH
[come] wealth and honor and life.
5. Thorns [and] snares [are] in the path of the perverse;
The one who keeps guard over his soul will distance himself from them.
6. Train a youth [on] his path verbally;
Even when he becomes old he will not turn away from it.
Verbally: literally, upon mouth (the same phrase used to describe an “oral Torah” that allegedly supplemented the written one).
7. The rich exercises dominion over the poor
and the one who borrows is servant to the one who lends.
Borrows…lends: different tenses of the term for “one to whom he joins himself”, related to the name Lewi.
8. Whoever sows injustice will reap needless trouble
and the rod of his excessive outburst will fail.
Needless trouble: literally, sorrow from efforts spent in vain. Fail: be exhausted, used up, vanish, come to an end.
9. A generous person is the one who will be blessed
Because he gives some of his bread to the needy.
Generous: literally, good eye, a Hebrew idiom.
10. Expel a scorner, and discord will leave;
indeed, judging and dishonoring will cease.
11. The one who loves purity of heart [and has] elegance on his lips,
a king will be his close companion.
12. The eyes of YHWH [faithfully] keep a watchful guard over knowledge,
But He overturns the words of the treacherous.
13. The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!
I will be killed in the middle of the wide-open plazas!”
14. The mouth of strange women is a deep pit;
one who defies YHWH will fall therein.
Mouth: that is, kisses. Strange women: Those foreign to one’s own marriage; i.e., “home-wreckers”. Defies: or curses, abhors, denounces.
15. Foolishness is tied up onto the heart of a youth;
the rod of correction can remove it far from him.
Correction: or discipline. This includes a reasonable degree of non-injurious corporal punishment, which can save him from far worse pain later in life.
16. One who oppresses the poor to increase himself
[and] who donates to the [already] rich will certainly come to poverty!
Oppresses: defrauds, violates, extorts, crushes, exploits.
17. Bend your ear and listen to the words of the wise,
and position your heart toward my knowledge,
18. because it is pleasant if you treasure them up in your innermost being.
Let them be altogether firmly established upon your lips,
19. so that your trust will be in YHWH.
I have made them known to you—yes, you!—this very day.
20. Haven’t I already written to you [in days gone by]
of planning principles and knowledge
21. to make known to you evenly-weighed-out words of truth
So that you may return reliable words to those who send [for] you?
Truth: or stability.
22. Do not seize plunder from the poor, because he is [already] poor!
And do not crush the afflicted within the gate,
Gate: in ancient times, the city gate was the seat of judgment where court matters were decided.
23. because YHWH will plead their case
and will take the life of those who despoil them.
Case: or cause—i.e., their legal controversy. Take the life…despoil: two forms of the same word in Hebrew.
24. Don’t associate with a master at anger,
and don’t get into a close [relationship] with a man of rage,
Because you will suffer the collateral damage of his downfall.
25. lest you grow accustomed to his ways [of doing things]
and take the bait for your soul.
Grow accustomed to: become familiar with, learn and be influenced by, considering them to be the norm. Take the bait: or, take on a snare.
26. Don’t remain within a striking of hands [in pledge]
with one who co-signs as a guarantor for loans
27. if you have nothing [with which] to repay him;
why should he take your [very] bed out from under you?
28. Do not displace an ancient boundary-marker
which your ancestors have made.
The limits and standards they have established can take many forms; they are all there for a reason.
29. Do you see a man who is skillful in his workmanship? He will stand before kings;
He will not be set before the obscure.
Skillful: or, who excels. Obscure: those who are unknowns, insignificant, remaining in the shadows.
CHAPTER 23
1. When you sit down to have a meal with a governor,
consider carefully what is in front of you,
2. and put a knife to your throat
if you are a man given to appetite;
Appetite: or passion, emotion. I.e., do not too enthusiastically receive what he offers you, because he has an agenda behind it; you do not want to become obligated to what he may want from you:
3. do not be greedy for his delicacies,
because it is deceptive food.
Deceptive: or unreal. It is not a “free lunch”; his generosity may be intended as a trap, or it may just not be so healthy for you, for rich foods are rarely the most nutritious.
4. Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
learn when to stop.
Learn when to stop: literally, based on your discernment, cease and leave off (even though it seems unfinished). Know when you have enough and “leave well enough alone” instead of grabbing for just that “little bit more”. At that point your struggle begins to have diminishing returns.
5. Will you let your eyes flit around over what doesn’t really exist?
Because [riches] will certainly grow wings like an eagle and fly away [into] the sky!
Flit around: or hover over, i.e., fixating on an obsession rather than continuing to move on.
6. Don’t eat the bread of someone who gives sparingly
or be greedy for his delicacies,
One who gives sparingly: or grudgingly; one who is ungenerous, who literally has a “bad eye”; he will regret having offered you anything when he realizes
7. because as he calculates in his mind, so he is;
“Eat and drink!”, he tells you, but his heart is not with you.
8. The tiny bit you do eat you will regurgitate back up
and waste your pleasant words.
Waste: or ruin.
9. Do not speak within earshot of an [arrogant] fool,
because he will treat the good sense of your words with contempt.
10. Do not move back the ancient boundary-marker,
nor encroach on the fields [belonging to] orphans,
Move back: i.e., to make your property appear larger than it is.
11. because their kinsman redeemer has a firm grip,
and will plead their cause against you.
Kinsman redeemer: the one who buys land back for a needy relative, but also the avenger of blood—or in this case, of transgression or trespass.
12. Introduce your heart to discipline
and your ears to knowledgeable sayings!
13. Do not withhold discipline from a young lad;
if you hit him with a switch, he’s not going to die!
Shlomoh anticipates the modern hypersensitivity to causing pain (as he said, there is nothing new under the sun), but sometimes it is the most effective way to be reminded of what not to do.
14. You can hit him with a switch
and rescue his life from the world of the dead!
Such a simple action can have such far-reaching results if we can get past our initial hesitancy. One whack is all it may take to get his attention and wake him up from the foolish direction he is headed. (22:15)
15. My son, if your heart [has become] wise,
My heart will be glad—and so will I!
A bit of anthropomorphic humor!
16. Even my inner organs will celebrate
when your lips say the things that are right!
17. Don’t let your heart envy those who are in error,
But rather [be jealous] for the fear of YHWH the whole day long
Jealous: or zealous, but the contrast is with the envy in the first line of the couplet, which stands as the verb for both phrases—a negative sense in the first usage, and a positive in the second.
18. since, after all, there is a hereafter,
and your hope will not be disappointed.
Hope: or expectation, since it is a certainty. Disappointed: literally, cut off, or figuratively, killed. Compare Romans 5:5. Who says there is nothing in the Hebrew Scriptures about the life to come?
19. You, my son, listen and be wise,
and your heart will make progress on the journey.
Journey: to the hereafter, where our hopes are permanently anchored and where there will be justice and reward even if there is none in this life.
20. Don’t keep company with those who drink a lot of wine,
Or those to whom it means nothing to squander [their earnings on] meat,
21. because the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty
and indolence will clothe a man with rags.
Glutton: shorthand for the last phrase in verse 20, which explains the concept more fully. Indolence: literally, drowsiness, as if half-asleep. Rags: literally, torn clothing.
22. Listen to your father—this one who begot you—
And don’t treat your mother as insignificant when she is old.
23. Acquire truth and don’t sell [it
or] wisdom, discipline, and discernment!
24. The father of a righteous person will be extremely glad,
[and] one who begets a wise [child] will take great delight in him.
25. Make your father and mother glad,
And let her who gave you birth celebrate.
26. My son, give me your heart,
and let my ways be favorable in your eyes,
Favorable: or well-accepted.
27. because a prostitute is a deep pit
and an outsider-woman [is] a narrow well [in which you will get stuck];
Outsider: i.e., one who seduces you away from your wife and family.
28. she even waits in ambush for a victim
and she increases the treacherous among humanity!
Treacherous: those who are deceitfully disloyal.
29. Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has anxiety?
Who has complaints? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has dull, red eyes?
30. Those who linger long over the wine;
Those who go in search of mixed drinks!
31. Don’t look intently at wine when it has reddened,
when it catches your eye in the cup, [and] swirls around smoothly.
32. In the end it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a poisonous snake.
33. Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart will utter things that are skewed!
34. You will also be like someone who lies does in the middle of the ocean,
Or like one who relaxes on top of a mast’s ropes, [saying],
He perceives the ropes holding the ship’s mast up as a hammock!
35. “They hit me, but I haven’t gotten any weaker!
They struck me down, but I didn’t feel it!
When will I wake up so I can add on yet another [drink]?”
CHAPTER 24
1. Do not envy evil people
or crave being with them,
2. because their heart devises havoc
and their lips threaten mischief.
3. Through wisdom a house is built,
and through discernment it is [firmly] established,
Wisdom: or skill.
4. and by knowledge the rooms are filled
with valuable and pleasant substance.
5. A hero is skillful through strength,
and a knowledgeable man secures power,
6. because through wise guidance you can wage war for yourself,
and with a large number of counselors, [there is] safety.
7. [Matters of] wisdom are too lofty for a fool;
he does not open his mouth in the gate.
Gate: in ancient tradition, the part of the city where court rulings were made.
8. One who plots to do evil,
they will call him a master of schemes.
9. [The] mischievous plotting of foolishness is a sin,
and arrogant mocking is repulsive to humanity.
10. [If] you let yourself slack off on a day of distress,
you will put strain on your capacity.
Distress and strain are from the same root word in Hebrew.
11. Rescue those who are being taken away to death
and those sliding toward slaughter—if you can hold them back,
12. because you are saying, “Look, we didn’t know!”
Won’t He who weighs out hearts in a scale be able to tell the difference?
And the One who keeps watch over your life—He knows,
And will bring back [on each] man according to his deeds.
13. My son, eat honey, because it is good,
And the drippings [of the honeycomb, which are] sweet to your palate.
14. That’s how the knowledge of wisdom will be to your life
if you have found it while there is yet time, so your hope will not be cut off.
15. O wicked [man], do not wait in ambush for the abode of the righteous
and do not plunder his resting place,
16. because the righteous [person] may fall seven [times] and get up [again],
But the wicked will be brought to ruin by calamity.
17. Don’t be glad when your enemy falls,
and if he stumbles, don’t let your heart be excited,
18. lest YHWH see it and it be bad in His eyes,
and He turn His anger away from him.
“YHWH… would rather that no one should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Kefa/Peter 3:9)
19. Don’t let yourself get all worked up into a rage by evildoers,
or be envious of the wicked,
20. because there will be no future for the bad person;
the lamp of the wicked will go out.
They may look successful now (even at your expense), but this cannot last long because they are operating contrary to reality and the laws of retribution.
21. My son, be in awed respect of YHWH and the king;
don’t get involved with revolutionaries,
Revolutionaries: literally, “changers”.
22. because calamity or disaster may arise suddenly;
who can know about either of them?
23. These also [come] to the skillful;
it is not good to show partiality to [particular] faces in a court of judgment.
24. Whoever tells the wicked, “You are right”,
peoples will curse him; [whole] nations will angrily denounce him,
Curse: literally, pierce through.
25. but those who rebuke them [and prove them wrong] will [be considered] pleasant,
and upon them will come a good blessing.
26. One who brings back [an answer of] straightforward words
[is like] one who kisses a pair of lips.
27. Prepare your work outside and make [things] ready for yourself in the field,
then afterward build your house.
This way you will have something to eat before and while you make a more comfortable place to live.
28. Don’t become a witness against your neighbor when he does not deserve it,
or persuade [the gullible] with your lips.
29. Don’t say, “Just what he did to me, I will do the same to him;
I will pay the man back for what he did!”
30. I passed by the field of a lazy man,
and by the vineyard of one who lacked understanding,
Understanding: literally, heart.
31. and, sure enough, it was all overgrown with nettles and covered with thorny weeds,
and its stone wall was falling down,
32. and when I saw it, I gave my heart direction;
when I looked on it, I received [corrective] instruction:
33. “A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to lie down [and rest],
34. “and your poverty will come like a prowler
and your neediness like an armed man.”
I.e., they will rob you of whatever advantage you had, because to grow heathy crops requires constant vigilance and proactive prevention of what would displace your good crops.
CHAPTER 25
1. These, too, are the proverbs of Shlomoh,
which the men of Hizqiyahu, king of Yehudah, transcribed:
Transcribed: or copied, to advance or pass on to a later audience.
2. [It is to the] honor of Elohim to conceal a matter,
and the honor of kings to search out [that] matter.
And all who search out the treasures YHWH has concealed in His word and in nature are thus likened to kings.
3. [As] the heavens are for height and the earth is for depth,
Even so the heart of kings cannot be searched out.
4. Remove the dross from silver,
and out will come jewelry for the refiner;
YHWH does this to us, removing our rough edges so we can become very valuable. (Zkh. 13:9; Mal. 3:17)
5. remove the wicked [from] the presence of the king,
and his throne will be established in the right way.
6. Do not present yourself before a king as one splendid [or exalted],
and do not station [yourself] in the position of the great,
7. because it is better for him to tell you, “Come up here”
than that you should be set in a lower place in the presence of a noble one
whom your eyes have seen.
Yeshua echoed this sentiment from his ancestor in Luke 14:10.
8. Don’t go out to a court case hastily
lest what you do [to] your neighbor should finally bring you shame.
9. Argue your case with your neighbor
and do not reveal a private matter [to] anyone else
10. lest the one who hears it put you to shame
and you never get your reputation back.
11. [Like] apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken in a timely manner.
Maimonides takes this to mean, “When looked at from a distance or with imperfect attention, it is deemed to be an apple of silver; but when a keen-sighted observer looks at it with full attention, its interior becomes clear to him and he knows that it is of gold.” (Guide for the Perplexed) Tim Daniel Bernard interprets this as saying he is acknowledging that those who only see the “silver,” the simple meaning, are still finding something genuinely valuable (even if it is not as valuable as “the real thing” that is inside). “Apples of gold” is, incidentally, the modern Hebrew way to describe oranges!
12. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of finest gold
is one who brings wise conviction to a listening ear.
Though it may not be what he wants to hear, he knows it is what he needs and greatly improves himself by heeding the stinging but loving advice.
13. Like the coolness of snow on the day of harvest
is a reliable messenger to those who send him,
and he lets his masters breathe freely again.
Coolness: refreshing, not piercing, in this case, when one is hot from hard work. He makes them feel relieved that their message got through successfully. Messenger: literally, door-hinge, for the delivery of the message to someone out of reach of the senders depends or “hangs” on him.
14. [Like] rising mist and wind [in which] there is no nonetheless no rain
is a man who boasts of what he will give [but then] disappoints.
They promise much but do not deliver what we expect.
15. Through self-restraining patience a tyrant can be persuaded,
And a gentle tongue can break [the toughest] bone.
16. Have you found honey? Eat [only] what is enough for you,
lest you become glutted with you and vomit it out.
17. Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he start to have his fill of you and come to hate you.
Rarely: The term denotes something very special, so seldom that the few times you do come are highly-valued.
18. [Like] a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow
is a man who testifies against his neighbor [with] false evidence.
19. [Like] a rotten, [breaking] tooth and a foot slipping [out of joint]
is having confidence in a treacherous man in a time of distress.
20. [Like] one who takes off a coat on a cold day or [pours] vinegar on baking soda
is someone who sings songs about a heart in misery.
21. If someone who hates you is hungry, give him bread to eat,
And if he is thirsty, pour out water for him,
22. because you [yourself] will pile burning coals onto his head,
And YHWH will repay you [for it].
Paul quotes this in Romans 12:20. Burning coals: to supply his own fire, so he will be self-sufficient and no longer envy what you have but he does not. In the Philippines today they still carry hot coals in pans on their heads to take them from one hearth to another, thus providing for those in need. But 4 Ezra 16:53 says, “Let not the sinner say he has not sinned, because Elohim shall burn coals of fie upon his head…” The phrase here appears to have a more negative connotation in regard to punishment for his hatefulness, while at the same time YHWH rewards those who do good even to their enemies, hoping to, as Lincoln said, get rid of their enemies by making them their friends.
23. The north wind gives birth to rain,
and a face showing angry indignation [begets] a tongue of secrecy.
If one frightens someone under his authority, they are likely to keep their decisions hidden from him. Secrecy: the term can suggest the whisperings of slander as well.
24. It is better to dwell on the corner of a rooftop
than to share a house with a woman of contentions.
25. [Like] cool waters on an exhausted person [struggling to catch his breath]
is a good report from a faraway country.
26. [Like] a spring fouled [by muddy feet] or a polluted [water] source
is a righteous [man] who falters in the presence of a wicked one.
Falters: literally, slips or totters; he loses his resolve due to fear of his threats.
27. To eat too much honey is not good,
Nor is it honorable [for people] to seek their own honor.
28. [Like] a breached city which [now] has no wall
is a man who has no control over his own [agitated] disposition.
Control: or restraint, as a wall would provide. Disposition: literally, spirit, as in breathing heavily due to being animated or “riled up”.
CHAPTER 26
1. Like snow in summer and rain at harvest-time,
even so honor is not suitable for a fool.
2. Like a sparrow flitting about, like a swallow flying [to and fro],
in the same way an undeserved curse will not come [about].
YHWH knows who deserves any curse (Deut. 28:15ff), and will not bring it upon anyone just because someone wants to give them a terrible life.
3. A whip for the horse, a bridle [to control] the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
4. Do not answer a fool with foolishness like his own,
Lest you also seem to be like him;
5. answer a fool with foolishness like his own,
lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6. One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Is one who cuts off his own feet [or] drinks violence.
The phrases are in the opposite order in Hebrew.
7. [Like] legs of the lame that hang limp
[is] a wise maxim in the mouth of a fool.
8. Like one who ties a stone into a sling
Is someone who gives honor to a fool.
9. Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
[is] a wise maxim in the mouth of a fool.
10. Worse than one who slings everything around wildly
[is someone] who hires a fool or gives wages to those who cross over out of bounds.
11. As a dog returns to its own vomit,
a fool repeats his folly.
12. Do you see a man [who is] wise in his own eyes?
[There is] more hope for a fool than for him!
13. A lazy man says, “There is a [roaring] lion on the road,
a [fierce] lion between the open [square]s!”
14. [As] the door turns back on its hinge,
so the lazy man [turns] on his bed.
15. A lazy person keeps his hand in the bowl;
It tires him out to bring it back to his mouth!
16. A lazy person is wiser in his own eyes
than seven who can bring back a sensible [answer].
17. [Like] someone who grabs a dog by the ears
is one who, when passing by, meddles in an argument [that is] not his own.
18. Like a madman who flings firebrands, arrows, and death
19. is a man who misleads his neighbor
and says, “Wasn’t I [just] joking?”
Misleads: literally, throws off or tricks by attracting one’s eyes in a different direction.
20. When the kindling-sticks run out, the fire goes out;
likewise, where there is no one whispering gossip, the conflict quiets down.
21. [As] charcoal [is] to burning embers and [as dry] sticks [are] to fire
So a man of rivalries causes an argument to ignite.
22. The words of a gossip are [like] tasty tidbits
And they go down into the innermost belly.
Belly: as the seat of hunger. (Thayer)
23. Like earthenware overlaid with silver with bits of dross [still in it]
are fervent lips with a bad heart.
24. A hateful person disguises [it] with his kips,
But inwardly he lays up deceit.
25. If his voice asks for a favor, do not affirm him,
Because there are seven disgusting things in his heart.
26. [Though] his hatred is concealed by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed in the assembly.
27. The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
And whoever rolls away a stone, it will come back upon him.
28. A lying tongue hates those it oppresses,
And a smoothly [flattering] mouth produces an occasion for stumbling.
CHAPTER 27
1. Don’t boast about a day to come,
because you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2. Let someone different brag about you and not your own mouth,
An outsider and not your own lips.
You will only come across as arrogant, no matter how skillful you are, if you “toot your own horn”.
3. A stone is heavy and sand is hard to lift,
but the provocation of a fool is weightier than both of them.
4. Rage is fierce and anger is a flood,
but who can stand in the face of jealousy?
Fierce: or cruel. Jealousy: not envy, but the wrath of one who is defending something--or more likely someone--that is rightfully his.
5. Better is open rebuke
than love that is hidden away.
6. The wounds of one who loves [you] will uphold [you],
but the kisses of one who hates [you] are excessive.
Excessive: or abundant, even deceitful, possibly hypocritical.
7. A person who is stuffed will reject [even] the drippings from a honeycomb,
but to someone who is famished, everything bitter is sweet.
8. Like a bird that wanders from its nest,
so is a man who strays from his own station.
9. Oil and incense make a heart glad,
and the sweetness of [one’s] friend gives [his] soul a purpose.
10. Do not forsake your friend or your father’s friend
or go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
a neighbor who is nearby is better than a brother who is far off.
11. Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
so that I may bring something back on one who taunts [me].
Something: or simply, a word.
12. A sensible man foresees trouble [coming] and hides himself,
but the naïve go on through and receive the consequences.
Foresees trouble: the two words sound very similar in Hebrew, making a clever pun.
13. Take the cloak of one who co-signs for a stranger
And hold it in pledge [if he does so] on behalf of a foreign woman.
Foreign woman: often understood as a seductress. You need collateral from people who would let those they don’t know manipulate them so easily, as they are making decisions under the influence of strong emotions.
14. One who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning
Will be counted as [if he were] cursing him!
15. A quarrelsome woman is on the same level with
a constant dripping on a day with persistent rain.
16. Whoever can restrain her has restrained the wind,
or can keep holding oil in his right hand.
17. Iron on iron makes [them both] sharper,
and a man sharpens up [in the] presence of his fellow.
18. One who watches the fig tree very closely will eat of its fruit,
and one who pays clos attention to his master will be honored.
19. As water reflects a face to itself,
Likewise the heart of the person [reveals him] to [another] person.
Or possibly, reveals him to himself.
20. She’ol and its destruction are never full,
and the eyes of a human being are never satisfied.
21. The refining crucible is for silver and the smelting-forge for gold;
so a man is to the mouth that praises him.
He might boast of himself or others might praise him; either way he should test whether he loves us to his—or their—claims. (Brown Driver Briggs)
22. Even if you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle among the grains to be ground,
his foolishness will not depart from him.
23. Know the state of your flocks very well,
And set your mind toward [the condition of] the herds,
State or condition: literally, face—i.e., how they are looking, what attitude they are reflecting.
24. because riches do not [last] forever;
how much less a crown from generation to generation?
25. [If] the tall grass is removed, the tender young growth can be seen,
when the green herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26. Young lambs are for your clothing,
but rams [provide] the means to buy the field.
27. Goats will also [provide] the milk for your bread, the bread for your household,
and [the means] to keep your young girls alive.
CHAPTER 28
1. The wicked run away when no one is pursuing [them],
While the righteous are as confident as a lion.
A wicked lifestyle makes one paranoid because he knows he is angering many people and their anger is legitimate. A righteous person knows he has nothing to hide.
2. Due to a land’s transgression, its princes are many,
but by a man of discernment, I know it can indeed be prolonged.
A place where violence or corruption reigns has a constant turnover of leadership, constantly vying for power. But stability is possible when there is a knowledgeable ruler.
3. A strong [but] poor man who oppresses the weak
[is like] a driving rain that [beats down and leaves] nothing [by which to make] bread.
4. Those who forsake the Torah will praise a wicked person;
but those who guard the Torah will contend against them.
5. Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek YHWH can understand anything.
This is why theology is called “the queen of the sciences”. As we get to know the Creator of everything, we can understand His ways and thus how He designed things to work.
6. Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in [his] ways, even though he is rich.
7. Whoever looks carefully into the Torah is a discerning son,
but a companion of squanderers brings shame to his father.
8. One who increases his substance by usury and extortion
gathers it for one who shows consideration for the poor.
Usury: interest on loans; literally, a bite. Extortion: unjust gain. Those who use these methods will ultimately be “losers” sine what they amass will be turned over to someone who will use it more equitably.
9. One who turns his ear away from hearing the Torah,
even his prayer will be repulsive [to YHWH].
To ask YHWH for help but reject His instruction is hypocritical.
10. Anyone who leads the upright to stray onto a wrong path
will himself fall into his own pit, while those with integrity will inherit [what is] good.
11. A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor [man] with understanding can closely investigate [whether] he [really is].
12. When righteous [people] triumph, there is much [celebration with] finery,
but when wicked ones rise [to power], people [have to] disguise themselves.
13. Whoever conceals his sins will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and forsakes [them] will be granted compassion.
Prosper: or, be successful. (“Be assured your sins will find you out”, Num. 32:23) Confesses: the term has the sense of holding one’s hands up in surrender.
14. A person who constantly trembles is blessed,
but one who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
Trembles: in fear of crossing YHWH’s will; the same term used with the negative particle (Jer. 36:24) connotes callousness (Brown Driver Briggs).
15. A wicked one who rules over a poor people
is [like] a growling lion or a charging bear.
16. If a leader lacks [multiple] types of understanding, there will be many acts of extortion, [but] one who hates unjust gain will prolong [the] days [of his nation].
17. A person burdened by [the accusation] of blood [guilt for someone’s] life
will flee into a pit with nothing in it to hold onto.
18. Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered [from trouble],
but one who is crooked [in his] ways will suffer a downfall [all at] once.
19. One who works his soil will have plenty of bread,
but one who chases after empty things will have plenty of poverty.
20. A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but one who rushes to become wealthy will not go unpunished.
Not go unpunished: or, not remain innocent, not be exempt from guilt. I.e., he will probably cut corners at someone else’s expense and be held responsible, even if he did not intend to do so.
21. To notice faces is not good,
because [even] a robust man may transgress [the law] for a piece of bread.
Notice faces: or discriminate between faces, an idiom for showing partiality in a court setting, but it could also apply when we are being pressured to show favor for one race over another in business dealings, etc., instead of judging on the merits of the individual.
22. A man with a bad eye hurries alarmedly after riches,
and does not recognize that want is coming upon him.
Bad eye: a Hebrew idiom for being stingy rather than generous. One who is nervously chasing after wealth will often neglect to give to the poor, widows, orphans, or sojourners in the process. Want: or lack; literally, decrease.
23. One who rebukes a person will find more favor later
than one with a slippery tongue.
Rebukes: or corrects. When the person recognizes how beneficial this is, even if it stings at first, he will be grateful. Slippery: literally, divided into portions, i.e., flattering people out of “both sides of his mouth” but not being honest to any of them if it does not seem to be to his advantage.
24. Whoever robs his father or mother and says, “There is nothing wrong [with that]”
is a companion to a man [who causes] destruction.
Robs: or plunders. I.e., he takes things from their home to his own without permission because he feels it is his right to have his parents provide for him. Destruction: or ruination, spoiling, corruption, damage.
25. One whose own heart takes up too much space will stir up discord,
but one who puts his trust in YHWH will be made prosperous.
26. Whoever trusts in his own heart—he is a fool,
but whoever walks in wisdom, his [life] will be saved.
27. One who gives to the poor will have no lack,
but one who hides his eyes [will receive] many curses.
Hides his eyes: from those in need of his help.
28. When wicked ones rise [to power], people hide themselves,
but when they lose, righteous [people] become more numerous.
Hide themselves: or, try to go undetected—i.e., “stay under the radar”. Lose: or, fail, are broken, annihilated, or wiped out.
CHAPTER 29
1. A man who is reproved [but] stiffens his neck
will be shattered suddenly without a remedy.
2. When righteous ones increase, the nation will be glad,
but when the wicked dominate, the people will groan.
3. A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
but one who associates with prostitutes will lose his wealth.
4. By justice a king stabilizes the land,
but a man who receives contributions will tear it down.
5. A strong man who speaks flatteringly about his neighbor
spreads a net over his footsteps.
6. An evil man is lured by rebellion,
but the righteous shouts for joy and is glad.
7. A righteous person is aware of the plight of the poor;
a wicked one cannot understand how to discern.
Plight: specifically in the context of litigation.
8. Men [who are] scorners fan the flame in a city,
but wise ones turn anger away.
9. [If] a wise man enters int a legal controversy with a fool,
Whether he is agitated or laughing [in contempt], there is no rest.
10. Bloodthirsty people hate a person of integrity,
but the upright seek to secure his life.
11. A fool lets all his exasperation come out,
but a wise person is still restraining it later.
12. [If] a ruler pays [too much] attention to a disappointing word,
all of his ministers will be [considered] wicked.
Disappointing: or idle, useless, or even deceitful. But if he considers every complaint about him to be a threat, he will become paranoid about them all and their lives may even be at stake. (Compare Qoh./Eccles. 7:21-22)
13. The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
YHWH gives light to the eyes of them both.
14. A king who judges the poor truthfully,
his throne will be established perpetually.
15. The rod and reproof provide wisdom,
but a youth left to his own [ways] brings his mother shame.
16. When the wicked increase, rebellion grows [more frequent],
but the righteous will [live to] see their downfall.
17. Discipline your son and he will give you rest;
indeed, he will bring delights to your soul.
18. Where there is no [revelatory] vision, a people throws off restraint,
but one who guards instruction is blessed.
Throws off restraint: or, is let loose, becomes neglectful.
19. A servant will not be corrected with [mere] words,
Because though he understands, he does not respond.
20. Have you beheld a man hasty with his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21. He who indulges his servant from his youth
will in the end have a son.
Indulges: or pampers, enervates, weakens, treats delicately; alt., brings up—possibly a more positive way to look at it, as in treating him kindly; this could be seen as either a good or bad thing, depending on whether one has any children of his own. But it appears he had in mind that the servant would take too many liberties if his master is too lenient with him. (See v. 19.)
22. An angry man stirs up quarrels,
and one who is known for being hot-headed will overstep many boundaries.
23. A human being’s swollen ego will bring him low,
while the one lowly in spirit will retain honor.
24. Whoever shares a partnership with a thief hates his own life--
[that is, one] who has heard a curse [taken under oath] but reports nothing.
Life: or soul. Notice that one does not need to receive anything from the thief to be considered his partner; one is complicit simply by letting him get away with his plans.
25. A person’s anxiety provides a snare [by which to bait him],
But whoever trusts YHWH will be made invulnerable.
Anxiety: literally, trembling; alt., the fear of [other] men. Paranoia gives one’s enemies a handle by which to manipulate him. Invulnerable: literally, inaccessibly high.
26. Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but a man’s exoneration comes from YHWH.
An audience with: literally, the face of (i.e., to gain his favor). Exoneration: or simply justice, rendering of a sentence, though of course he hopes for one that benefits him.
27. An unjust man is repulsive to the righteous,
and those of a straight path are repulsive to the wicked!
Sounds just like modern politics…
CHAPTER 30
1. The words of Awgur, son of Yawqeh, which [he] lifted up,
[which] the heroic man declared to Iythi’El—to Iythi’El and Ukhal:
2. Since I am more senseless than [any other] man,
and I do not have the faculty of understanding like a human being,
Senseless: or brutish, which fits well with the second phrase.
3. and I have neither learned wisdom
nor am I acquainted with the knowledge of holy [people]…
4. Who has gone up [to] the sky and come [back] down?
Who has gathered wind in the hollow of His hands?
Who has corralled the waters into a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name and what is His Son’s name—since you [think you] know?
5. Everything Eloah says has been fully tested [and proven];
He is a defender of those who seek their refuge in Him.
6. Do not add to His words,
lest He call you to task for it and you be proven to be saying something that is false.
Call you to task: reprove, ask you to prove in a courtroom-like context and manner.
7. Two [things] I have asked from You;
Do not withhold them from me before I die:
8. Take empty things and a deceitful word far away from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches. Tear off for me the bread that I am rightfully due
Tear off: i.e., apportion out to me the right share. Rightfully due: my prescribed, allotted portion.
9. lest I be surfeited and deny You and say, “Who is YHWH?”
or lest I be dispossessed and steal and profane the reputation of my Elohim.
Surfeited: overly full, sated. Deny: or disappoint, deal falsely. Who is YHWH: i.e., Why do I need Him? Dispossessed: impoverished through the loss of one’s property. Profane: literally, take hold of and wield; i.e., abuse. His name would be besmirched if we say we trust Him but then cheat in order to get what we think we need because He has not given us what we think is enough.
10. Do not use your tongue [to slander] a servant to his master,
lest he curse you and you incur guilt.
11. There is a generation that makes light of its father
and does not bless its mother.
12. There is a generation that is clean in its own eyes,
yet has not been washed from its filthiness.
Filthiness: specifically excrement.
13. There is a generation—how their eyes are raised up;
even their eyelids are lifted high!
14. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, whose incisors are like knives,
To devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among humankind!
15. The leech has two daughters: “Give [me]” and “Give [me]”!
Three of them are never satisfied, and four never say, “Enough”:
16. The grave, a barren womb, and the earth are never satisfied,
Water and fire never say, “Enough!”
17. The eye [of one] who ridicules [his] father or scorns obedience [to his] mother,
the ravens of the [dry] riverbed will pick it out, and the young vultures will devour it.
18. Three things are beyond my capacity,
and four I do not understand:
19. the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship in the heart of the sea,
and the way of a [strong] man with a young woman [of marriageable age].
20. This is the way of an adulterous woman:
she “eats”, wipes her mouth, and says, “I haven’t done anything wrong!”
But the term for “eats” here can also mean “consumes” or “devours”.
21. Under three things the earth quivers,
and under four it is unable to lift [itself up to carry them]:
22. under a servant when he rules [as king],
and a senseless person when he is sated with bread,
Servant: here emphasizing his lack of experience in decision-making and probably the fact that such a change of status would “go to his head” and make him do insufferable things.
23. under a hateful woman when she is married to a husband,
and a maidservant who takes possession of her mistress’ inheritance.
24. Four things there are on the earth that are small
but they are wiser than the wise:
25. the ants are a “people” [who are] not mighty,
but they prepare their food in the summer;
26. the rock hyraxes are a folk not numerous,
but they establish their homes within the cliffs;
These rodent-like creatures (a.k.a. coneys or rock badgers) are common among the deserts of the Negev and Dead Sea area. (See photo.)
27. the locusts have no king,
yet they proceed forth in [organized] divisions;
In Revelation 9:11 we see a kind of “locusts” that do have a king, but that type are a demonic parody of the kind of locusts YHWH created.
28. the spider skillfully wields [things] with its hands,
and it is [even found] in the palaces of a king.
Spider: or possibly a poisonous type of lizard.
29. Three things have a pleasing stride,
and four are beautiful in their walking:
30. a lion [which] is heroic among the beasts,
and does not turn its face away from any[one];
31. the racing of a slender [greyhound] or he-goat,
and a king [whose] band of soldiers are with him.
Racing: as if wearing tight clothing by which it can be aerodynamic.
32. If you have been foolish in raising yourself up [too highly] or devised an evil plot,
Put your hand over your mouth,
33. because as churning of milk puts out butter
and the squeezing of the nose produces blood,
likewise pressing [one to] anger turns out to start a fight.
CHAPTER 31
1. The sayings of King Lemu’el,
the burden with which his mother admonished him:
2. “What, my heir? And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?
3. “Do not give your strength to women,
or the direction of your [life] to that which obliterates kings.
Strength: ability, efficiency, forcefulness, wealth, substance—the “best of your youth”, which belongs to YHWH first and foremost. Obliterates kings: Shlomo started well, but was destroyed by political marriages to women who asked him to let them build shrines to the gods of their native lands. It made for earthly peace between nations, but led to the tearing apart of Israel, and Shlomo’s son lost 5/6 of his subjects as the penalty for what Shlomo allowed, whether or not he himself ever bowed to them.
4. “It is not for kings, O Lemu’el—it is not for kings to imbibe wine,
nor for those making judicious rulings [to desire] intoxicating drink,
Judicious rulings: weighty matters which require one’s full attention and cognitive powers, and thus clarity of mind, for these decisions will affect many people:
5. “lest they drink and forget that which is decreed
and change the verdict for all the sons of affliction.
This would afflict them even more.
6. “Give strong drink to one who is ruined,
and wine to those of bitter soul:
7. “Let him drink and forget his poverty
and no longer remember his trouble.
8. “Open your mouth for those who have no voice in the legal system--
all those [who are] appointed to destruction.
9. “Open your mouth! Vindicate them righteously!
Plead the cause of the afflicted and needy!”
If a king cannot rescue someone from the schemes of false witnesses, who can? So it is especially his responsibility to judge justly, and being drunk when holding court will guarantee failure.
The remainder of the chapter is commonly used as a blessing at the opening of the Sabbath:
10.Who can find a capable wife?
Who can find a capable wife? For she is far more valuable than precious stones.
11.The heart of her husband confidently trusts her,
The heart of her husband confidently trusts her, so he will have no lack of gain.
12.She treats him well and not unkindly all the days of her life.
She treats him well and not unkindly all the days of her life.13.She seeks wool and flax,
She seeks wool and flax, and delights to work with her hands.
14.She is like the trading ships;
She is like the trading ships; she brings her food from far away.
15.She also gets up while it is still nighttime, and provides food for her household
She also gets up while it is still nighttime, and provides food for her household and tasks for her maidservants.
16.She considers a field and buys it;
She considers a field and buys it; with the produce of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
17.She dresses herself with boldness, and makes her arms strong.
She dresses herself with boldness, and makes her arms strong.18.She senses that she has good gain from her merchandise;
She senses that she has good gain from her merchandise; her lamp does not go out by night.
19.She stretches out her hands to be successful,
She stretches out her hands to be successful, so her the palms of her hands holds the spinning-wheel.
20.She extends her hand to the poor, and her hands reach out to the needy.
She extends her hand to the poor, and her hands reach out to the needy.21.She does not fear for her household because of snow,
She does not fear for her household because of snow, because all of her household is doubly clothed.
22.She makes coverings of tapestry for herself; her clothing is silk and purple.
She makes coverings of tapestry for herself; her clothing is silk and purple.23.Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the Land.
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the Land.24.She makes linen garments and sells them; she provides sashes for the merchants.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she provides sashes for the merchants.25.Strength and honor are her clothing; she laughs about the future.
Strength and honor are her clothing; she laughs about the future.26.She opens her mouth with wisdom, and kindness rules over her tongue.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and kindness rules over her tongue.27.She keeps watch over the comings and goings of her household,
She keeps watch over the comings and goings of her household, and does not eat the bread of laziness.
28.Her children rise up and make straight progress; her husband raves,
Her children rise up and make straight progress; her husband raves,29.“Many daughters have been successful, but you ascend higher than the rest.”
“Many daughters have been successful, but you ascend higher than the rest.”30.Charm is deceitful, and beauty [fades quickly like] a vapor,
Charm is deceitful, and beauty [fades quickly like] a vapor, but a woman who respects YHWH is the one who will be praised.
31.Give her of the fruit of her hands,
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let the things she has made bring her renown in the gates!
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.
A rock hyrax at Eyn Gedi, Israel
