Reflections on Proverbs 4

 

Proverbs 04 (Contemporary English Version)


1. My child, listen closely to my teachings and learn common sense.
   
2. My advice is useful, so don't turn away.
   
3. When I was still very young and my mother's favorite child, my father
   
4. said to me: "If you follow my teachings and keep them in mind, you will live.
   
5. Be wise and learn good sense; remember my teachings and do what I say.
   
6. If you love Wisdom and don't reject her, she will watch over you.
   
7. The best thing about Wisdom is Wisdom herself; good sense is more important than anything else.
   
8. If you value Wisdom and hold tightly to her, great honors will be yours.
   
9. It will be like wearing a glorious crown of beautiful flowers.
   
10. My child, if you listen and obey my teachings, you will live a long time.
    
11. I have shown you the way that makes sense; I have guided you along the right path.
    
12. Your road won't be blocked, and you won't stumble when you run.
    
13. Hold firmly to my teaching and never let go. It will mean life for you.
    
14. Don't follow the bad example of cruel and evil people.
    
15. Turn aside and keep going. Stay away from them.
    
16. They can't sleep or rest until they do wrong or harm some innocent victim.
    
17. Their food and drink are violence and cruelty.
    
18. The lifestyle of good people is like sunlight at dawn that keeps getting brighter until broad daylight.
    
19. The lifestyle of the wicked is like total darkness, and they will never know what makes them stumble.
    
20. My child, listen carefully to everything I say.
    
21. Don't forget a single word, but think about it all.
    
22. Knowing these teachings will mean true life and good health for you.
    
23. Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.
    
24. Never tell lies or be deceitful in what you say.
    
25. Keep looking straight ahead, without turning aside.
    
26. Know where you are headed, and you will stay on solid ground.
    
27. Don't make a mistake by turning to the right or the left.
    

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Solomon continues to appeal to his son to pursue wisdom, for wisdom is supreme. If embraced, wisdom will honor you. What Solomon is teaching to his son, he also learned from his father. Unfortunately, the tendency of youth in any generation is to pridefully think they will chart a course that will avoid the same mistakes of previous generations. It presumes a wisdom that has no founding except in the imagination. Along with this tendency is another that considers wisdom something that changes from generation to generation. What may have been good for a previous generation is now outmoded and irrelevant. But like the laws of nature, wisdom and truth do not change. If in some manner man were able to change one of these laws of nature, it would not bode well for the environment in which we live and might even upset the balance of the universe. So it is with wisdom. Ignore certain aspects of wisdom and it does not bode well for our lives. This is what Solomon is trying to tell his son. He tells him (verse 13) "Hold on to instruction; don't let go. Guard it, for it is your life."

Following the pattern of previous proverbs, Solomon turns to the pitfalls of ignoring wisdom.  As soon as he begins to do this he starts using the word wicked. For it seems the life lived apart from wisdom is a life of wickedness. We can fail to act wisely at all times and yet not be wicked. But that is not what Solomon speaks of. He refers to those who despise wisdom and choose instead to follow another path. Any other path chosen, instead of wisdom, is a path of wickedness. Leave wisdom out of the equation and wickedness is the result. The difference between the two paths (wisdom and wickedness) is like day and night as Solomon describes in verses 18 and 19. "The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.  But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they don't know what makes them stumble." The outcome for the one who does not choose the path of wisdom is to sink into darkness and ignorance, not even knowing why they stumble - why things are not going well for them. They cannot see the connection between their bad choices and their problems. They lose the ability to reason.

Solomon appeals to his son in verse 23 to "guard your heart above all else." Why? Because it is the source of life. The heart is considered the seat of the inner life where lies one's thoughts, motives, and desires. Solomon says guard this above all else. How does one do this? One way is to not expose one's self to inappropriate or unwise activity. The more one is exposed to such things the less they recognize the harmfulness and unwise nature of these activities. Some consider it prudish not to watch certain movies, for example. No, not prudish, but wise. It is a part of guarding the heart. One who is intent on following the path of wisdom and avoiding the path of wickedness and foolishness will take seriously such choices in favor of guarding the heart.