Proverbs-8&10

¹Does not wisdom call out?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

²On the heights along the way,

where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

³beside the gates leading into the city,

at the entrances, she cries aloud:

⁴“To you, O men, I call out;

I raise my voice to all mankind.

⁵You who are simple, gain prudence;

you who are foolish, gain understanding.

⁶Listen, for I have worthy things to say;

I open my lips to speak what is right.

⁷My mouth speaks what is true,

for my lips detest wickedness.

⁸All the words of my mouth are just;

none of them is crooked or perverse.

⁹To the discerning all of them are right;

they are faultless to those who have knowledge.

¹⁰Choose my instruction instead of silver,

knowledge rather than choice gold,

¹¹for wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

¹²“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;

I possess knowledge and discretion.

¹³To fear the Lord is to hate evil;

I hate pride and arrogance,

evil behavior and perverse speech.

¹⁴Counsel and sound judgment are mine;

I have understanding and power.

¹⁵By me kings reign

and rulers make laws that are just;

¹⁶by me princes govern,

and all nobles who rule on earth.

¹⁷I love those who love me,

and those who seek me find me.

¹⁸With me are riches and honor,

enduring wealth and prosperity.

¹⁹My fruit is better than fine gold;

what I yield surpasses choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

²¹bestowing wealth on those who love me

and making their treasuries full.

²²“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,

before his deeds of old;

²³I was appointed from eternity,

from the beginning, before the world began.

²⁴When there were no oceans, I was given birth,

when there were no springs abounding with water;

²⁵before the mountains were settled in place,

before the hills, I was given birth,

²⁶before he made the earth or its fields

or any of the dust of the world.

²⁷I was there when he set the heavens in place,

when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

²⁸when he established the clouds above

and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

²⁹when he gave the sea its boundary

so the waters would not overstep his command,

and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

³⁰Then I was the craftsman at his side.

I was filled with delight day after day,

rejoicing always in his presence,

³¹rejoicing in his whole world

and delighting in mankind.

³²“Now then, my sons, listen to me;

blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³Listen to my instruction and be wise;

do not ignore it.

³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me,

watching daily at my doors,

waiting at my doorway.

³⁵For whoever finds me finds life

and receives favor from the Lord.

³⁶But whoever fails to find me harms himself;

all who hate me love death.”

 V.1-3 – Wisdom calls for an audience at the places where she is most likely to find one: from the heights by the road, at crossroads, and at entrances to the city. She is like a merchant hawking her wares. This would not seem to be a dignified posture for one so exalted as she, but the important point is that wisdom is for ordinary people—she is not confined to the academic classroom or to sacred precincts of the temple. Nor is she high atop some mountain where only the hardiest and most determined will find her. To the contrary, she wants to attract all and be accessible to all.¹⁵¹ The attainment of Wisdom is not a quest but a response.

Famine is what the word is in ‘language’ – (romance language)  –  We speak about a ship on the water as:  Note how she rides the waves!  The sleek lines she has.

The word “morphology” is from the Ancient Greek μορφή, morphé, meaning “form”, and λόγος, lógos, meaning “word, study, research”.
By the fact that shades of an idea suggest varieties of words: This explains the origin of synonyms. The author of Proverbs denominates the second trinitarian person Wisdom; St. John denominates him Reason. The two phases of the revealed idea suggest the two different terms for it. Quote:  Dogmatic Theology by W. Shedd

V.4-11 – Wisdom begins by asserting that her words are instructive for all humanity, are right, and are more valuable than gold and jewels. – Attainment of biblical wisdom is not so much a matter of intellect as it is faith and obedience.

Wisdom claims that her words are right and proper (v. 6). She also claims to speak them “in righteousness” and without anything twisted or perverse (v. 8). In other words, there is nothing crafty or calculating in her teaching. She has nothing to hide.

The superior value of Wisdom over money lives in her ability both to deliver true happiness and protect the life of her possessor.

V.12-16 – 8:12   Here Wisdom’s claim to “dwell together with prudence” and possess “knowledge and discretion” Wisdom teaches how to live a discreet and careful life as opposed to a reckless one.

8:13–16. First, evil behavior, pride, and cunning speech are all rejected (v. 13).
Second, wisdom gives direction to life and strength to meet its challenges (v. 14
Third, wisdom is essential in the all-important arena of government (vv. 15–16

V.17-21 – 8:17–21 – The text ephasizes the material benefits of Wisdom. She has riches and wealth (v. 18) and bestows her treasures on those who love her (v. 21). These claims should be taken in a literal rather than a metaphorical sense; through wise behavior one can attain material prosperity. At the same time, not all her benefits are material in nature. She also possesses “righteousness” (vv. 18, 20), a quality that is far better than gold or silver.

It is true that Wisdom offers the way to prosperity, but it is a way completely devoid of any cynical manipulation of the world. It is based on principles that are woven into the fabric of creation (vv. 22–31), and thus those who follow her avoid self-destructive patterns. Refraining from both self-indulgence and schemes for quick money gradually but surely leads to a life that is healthy in every way.  Quote:  New Amer. Comm.

V.22-26  – Birth of Wisdom –  In saying that the Lord fathered her at (or “as”) the beginning of his ways, Wisdom is claiming to be the first principle of the world and the pattern by which it was created. References to the oceans, waters, mountains, and fields (or “rivers”166) also point back to the creation account and emphasize the antiquity of Wisdom.  Quote NAC

V. 26An intriguing point is Wisdom’s claim to be older than the “dust of the world”.  In Gen 1–2 “dust” is associated only with the creation of humanity; there is no account of the creation of dust itself. The “dusts of the world” is humanity, formed of the dust; and its head is Adam.

The term “dust” also indicates our fragility and mortality and implies that the decision to accept or reject Wisdom is a life-or-death choice. When God cursed Adam, he told him that he was but dust and would return to the dust (Gen 3:19). This concept frequently reappears in biblical wisdom, where “dust” represents human mortality. The frailty that comes of being human only increases our need for Wisdom.

Wisdom was here before us or our world. Humans, as dust, are part of the created world and cannot live contrary to the order by which the world was created. By Wisdom the formless, chaotic dust became Adam, the human race. People who reject Wisdom, therefore, are certain to return to their prior state.

V.27-29 – Wisdom present at the Creation
V27-29 – Wisdom claims to have been present at the creation in vv. 27–29. She specifically points to two of the most spectacular aspects of creation, namely, the making of the heavens and the placing of restraints over the power of the sea (Gen 1:1–10). This carries two implications. First, if Wisdom had a part in these two most awesome works of God, surely she should be present if human endeavors are to succeed. Second, if the very universe is made in accordance with the principles of Wisdom, it is folly for anyone to live contrary to those principles.

V. 30-31 – A master Worker –  Rejoicing before him always
Her satisfaction in the beauty of creation. The joy extends even to the human race, another good work of God (Gen 1:31)

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

       A wise son makes a glad father,

but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

²     Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,

but righteousness delivers from death.

³     The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,

but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

⁴     A slack hand causes poverty,

but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

⁵     He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,

but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

⁶     Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

⁷     The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸     The wise of heart will receive commandments,

but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

⁹     Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

¹⁰    Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,

and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

¹¹    The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

¹²    Hatred stirs up strife,

but love covers all offenses.

¹³    On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,

but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.

¹⁴    The wise lay up knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

¹⁵    A rich man’s wealth is his strong city;

the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

¹⁶    The wage of the righteous leads to life,

the gain of the wicked to sin.

¹⁷    Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,

but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

¹⁸    The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever utters slander is a fool.

¹⁹    When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

²⁰    The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

²¹    The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.

²²    The blessing of the Lord makes rich,

and he adds no sorrow with it.

²³    Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,

but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

²⁴    What the wicked dreads will come upon him,

but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

²⁵    When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,

but the righteous is established forever.

²⁶    Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

so is the sluggard to those who send him.

²⁷    The fear of the Lord prolongs life,

but the years of the wicked will be short.

²⁸    The hope of the righteous brings joy,

but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

²⁹    The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,

but destruction to evildoers.

³⁰    The righteous will never be removed,

but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

³¹    The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

³²    The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.