Reflections on Proverbs 1

Proverbs 01 (Contemporary English Version)


1. These are the proverbs of King Solomon of Israel, the son of David.
   
2. Proverbs will teach you wisdom and self-control and how to understand sayings with deep meanings.
   
3. You will learn what is right and honest and fair.
   
4. From these, an ordinary person can learn to be smart, and young people can gain knowledge and good sense.
   
5. If you are already wise, you will become even wiser. And if you are smart, you will learn to understand
   
6. proverbs and sayings, as well as words of wisdom and all kinds of riddles.
   
7. Respect and obey the LORD! This is the beginning of knowledge. Only a fool rejects wisdom and good advice.
   
8. My child, obey the teachings of your parents,
   
9. and wear their teachings as you would a lovely hat or a pretty necklace.
   
10. Don't be tempted by sinners or listen
    
11. when they say, "Come on! Let's gang up and kill somebody, just for the fun of it!
    
12. They're well and healthy now, but we'll finish them off once and for all.
    
13. We'll take their valuables and fill our homes with stolen goods.
    
14. If you join our gang, you'll get your share."
    
15. Don't follow anyone like that or do what they do.
    
16. They are in a big hurry to commit some crime, perhaps even murder.
    
17. They are like a bird that sees the bait, but ignores the trap.
    
18. They gang up to murder someone, but they are the victims.
    
19. The wealth you get from crime robs you of your life.
    
20. Wisdom shouts in the streets wherever crowds gather.
    
21. She shouts in the marketplaces and near the city gates as she says to the people,
    
22. "How much longer will you enjoy being stupid fools? Won't you ever stop sneering and laughing at knowledge?
    
23. Listen as I correct you and tell you what I think.
    
24. You completely ignored me and refused to listen;
    
25. you rejected my advice and paid no attention when I warned you.
    
26. "So when you are struck by some terrible disaster,
    
27. or when trouble and distress surround you like a whirlwind, I will laugh and make fun.
    
28. You will ask for my help, but I won't listen; you will search, but you won't find me.
    
29. No, you would not learn, and you refused to respect the LORD.
    
30. You rejected my advice and paid no attention when I warned you.
    
31. "Now you will eat the fruit of what you have done, until you are stuffed full with your own schemes.
    
32. Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to stupid fools.
    
33. But if you listen to me, you will be safe and secure without fear of disaster."
    

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In starting this book of Proverbs, which is Solomon's book on wisdom, one must ask themselves how much they really desire wisdom? Sure, we want to be smart and intelligent, and, in particular to have "street smarts," but do we want to be wise? Wisdom is different from these things. Wisdom will direct us away from activities or behaviors or relationships with which we may want to be involved. What are our goals in life? Just to have fun? Is pleasure our main desire? Then we are sure to find wisdom to be rather boring and antiquated. But wisdom is like every good investment. We must be willing to go the distance. Over time, the pursuit of wisdom will provide much more pleasure and satisfaction in life than the pursuit of fun and pleasure. It is over time that we begin to realize the wastefulness and depravity in the pursuit of pleasure and the benefits of pursuing wisdom. The difficulty in waiting to get the results is that we have wasted years of our life that we cannot get back and the life of pleasure has left us with more regret than fulfillment. Therefore, we are wise to learn wisdom from those who have experienced more of life than have we. Solomon's writings help to provide us some of that wisdom.

Solomon begins with his purposes for writing this book. It is to know wisdom, to provide instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity, etc. Then, in verse 7, he gives the starting point. It is a fear or respect for God. That is the beginning of knowledge. This respect for God gives us fertile soil for wisdom. It opens us to counsel from God, from our parents, and from others. Following this starting point, Solomon begins by giving counsel concerning those with whom we make friends. Don't be persuaded, he says, by those who would entice you into evil activities. The example he uses is being drawn into acquiring gain by force - by taking it from others. He says that the greed of gain will take away the life of those who are caught up in it.

Solomon urges the reader to hear the call of wisdom. What is the call of wisdom? "How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?" Those who pursue greed are described as foolish and their greedy ways as ignorance. Furthermore, the call of wisdom tells us to "turn to my discipline, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words." The concluding verses of the chapter, however, describe the outcome for those who do not heed the call of wisdom. Calamity and terror will strike them, and when it does, wisdom will no longer be available to them. It will not rescue them. And here is the strongest and clearest indictment on those who reject wisdom, "Because they hated knowledge, didn't choose to fear the LORD, were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction, they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes." What is the worse that can be said about pursuing wisdom?