“He who finds a wife
Finds happiness.
He obtains favor from Yahweh.
The poor use entreaties.
But the rich answer roughly.
Some friends play at friendship.
But a true friend sticks closer
Than one’s nearest relative.”
You will be happy if you find a good wife. Yahweh will favor you. Even though the poor use entreaties to beg, the rich usually answer roughly. Some people play at friendship, but a true friend stays closer to you than your own relatives.
“Casting the lot puts an end to disputes.
Casting lots decides between powerful contenders.
An ally offended is stronger than a city.
Such quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
From the fruit of the mouth,
One’s stomach is satisfied.
The yield of the lips
Brings satisfaction.
Death and life
Are in the power of the tongue.
Those who love it
Will eat its fruits.”
Casting lots was a way of finding out God’s will. This is how you put an end to disputes and arguments between powerful people. If you offend your ally he will become stronger than a city. This kind of quarreling is like the bars on a castle that cannot be torn down or bring about reconciliation. You satisfy your stomach through your mouth. So too the words of your lips will bring satisfaction. Life and death are in power of the tongue. When you love something, you will eat its fruits or enjoy the results.
“If one gives an answer before hearing,
It is folly and shame.
The human spirit will endure sickness.
But who can bear a broken spirit?
An intelligent mind acquires knowledge.
The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
A gift opens doors.
Gifts give access to the great.
Whoever first states a case seems right,
Until the other comes,
Until the other cross-examines him.”
The intelligent mind is always acquiring knowledge. The wise ones always have an ear seeking knowledge. Inquiring minds want to know. It is folly and your shame if you give an answer before you hear the question. The human spirit can endure sickness, but a broken spirit is more difficult to bear. A gift will open doors for you, especially to the great ones. If you go to court, your case may seem right until you are cross-examined by somebody else.
“Whoever is slack in his work
Is close kin to a vandal.
The name of Yahweh is a strong tower.
The righteous run into it.
The righteous are safe.
The wealth of the rich is their strong city.
They image wealth like a protective high wall.
Before destruction
One’s heart is haughty.
But humility goes before honor.”
If you are slack in your work, you are like a vandal stealing from your employer. The name of Yahweh is like a strong tower. The righteous run to this tower of Yahweh where they are safe. The rich people live in a strong city. They believe that their wealth is like a protective wall for them. Generally speaking, one’s heart is haughty or proud before the destruction comes. Humility should go before honors.
“The words of the mouth are deep waters.
The fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.
It is not right
To be partial to the guilty.
It is not right
To subvert the innocent in judgment.
A fool’s lips
Bring strife.
A fool’s mouth
Invites a flogging.
A fool’s mouth
Is their ruin.
A fool’s lips
Are snares to themselves.
The words of a whisperer
Are like delicious morsels.
They go down into the inner parts of the body.”
The words that come out of one’s mouth are like deep waters. Wisdom is like a gushing fountain. You should not favor the guilty or subvert the innocent with bad judgments. The lips of fools bring strife. Their mouths invite a whipping. Precisely the mouth of the fool is the cause of his ruin. Their lips snare themselves. They get caught in their own foolish words. However, the words of the deceptive ones who whisper in your ear are like delicious treats that go down into the inner parts of your body and ruin your body.
“Whoever lives alone is self-indulgent.
He shows contempt for all who have sound judgment.
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding.
He only wants to express his own personal opinion.
When wickedness comes,
Contempt comes also.
With dishonor comes disgrace.”
The fool does not take any pleasure in understanding. He only wants to hear his own personal opinion expressed to others. If you live alone, you are self-indulgent since you show contempt for any other person with a sound judgment other than your own. When wickedness comes, contempt comes with it. With dishonor comes disgrace. The fool seems to be a loner who is worried about his own opinions.
“The one who begets a fool gets trouble.
The parent of a fool has no joy.
A cheerful heart is a good medicine.
But a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
The wicked accept a concealed bribe.
They pervert the ways of justice.
The discerning person looks to wisdom.
But the eyes of a fool look to the ends of the earth.
Foolish children are
A grief to their father.
Foolish children are
Bitterness to her who bore them.
To impose a fine on the innocent
Is not right.
To flog the noble for their integrity
Is not right.
Whoever spares words is knowledgeable.
Whoever is cool in spirit has understanding.
Even fools who keep silent
Are considered wise.
When they closes their lips,
They are deemed intelligent.”
Foolish children are trouble. There is no joy in dealing with them. A cheerful heart is good medicine for you, while a downcast spirit will dry up your bones. The wicked judges, when they accept a concealed bribe, are perverting justice. A discerning person looks for wisdom, but fools try to go to the ends of the earth in search of something or other. Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to their mother. You should not impose a fine on the innocent ones. You should not flog the noblemen for their integrity. If you do not speak too much you give the impression of being knowledgeable. If you appear cool, people assume you understand things. Thus even fools who keep silent are sometimes considered wise. Some people appear to be more intelligent when they never open their mouth or move their lips.
“It is senseless
To give a pledge.
It is senseless
To becomes surety for a neighbor.
Whoever loves transgression
Loves strife.
Whoever builds a high threshold
Invites broken bones.
The crooked of mind do not prosper.
The perverse of tongue fall into calamity.”
Do not give a pledge for your neighbor. If you love transgressions, then get ready to love strife. If you build a high threshold, you are inviting danger because some tall strong people might come into your house to hurt you. This might also be a sign that you are showing pride. The crooked and the perverse do not prosper, but fall into calamity or danger.
“Why should fools have a price
In his hand
To buy wisdom?
They have no mind to learn.
A friend loves at all times.
Kinsfolk are born to share adversity.”
No fool can buy wisdom because they do not have a learning mind. A friend will love you all the time, no matter what. Your family, where you were born into, is there to share in your adversities.
“Evil people seek only rebellion.
A cruel messenger will be sent against them.
Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs,
Than to confront a fool immersed in folly.
Evil will not depart from the house
Of one who returns evil for good.
The beginning of strife is
Like letting out water.
So stop before the quarrel breaks out.
Whoever justifies the wicked,
Whoever condemns the righteous,
Are both alike.
They are an abomination to Yahweh.”
The evil people are rebellious. Therefore the good are in favor of the status quo. A cruel messenger will be sent to evil rebels, perhaps the angel of death. You are better off meeting a mama bear with her cubs than trying to confront a fool in his foolishness. Evil will stay in the house of those who return evil for good. A quarrel or strife is like running water. It is better to stop the quarrel before it breaks out. Whether you justify the wicked or condemn the righteous, you are both alike, an abomination before Yahweh.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 