Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (Proverbs 22:17-29;24)

Outline

  • Prologue: Purpose and Theme (1:1-7)
  • The Superiority of the Way of Wisdom (1:8;9:18)
    • Appeals and Warnings Confronting Youth (1:8-33)
      1. Enticements to secure happiness by violence (1:8-19)
      2. Warnings against rejecting wisdom (1:20-33)
    • Commendation of Wisdom (chs. 2-4)
      1. Benefits of accepting wisdom's instructions (ch. 2)
      2. Wisdom bestows well-being (3:1-20)
      3. Wisdom's instructions and benefits (3:21-35)
      4. Challenge to hold on to wisdom (ch. 4)
    • Warnings against Folly (chs. 5-7)
      1. Warning against adultery (ch. 5)
      2. Warning against perverse ways (6:1-19)
      3. Cost of committing adultery (6:20-35)
      4. Warning against the enticements of an adulteress (ch. 7)
    • Appeals Addressed to Youth (chs. 8-9)
      1. Wisdom's appeal (ch. 8)
      2. Invitations of wisdom and folly (ch. 9)
  • The Main Collection of Solomon's Proverbs (10:1;22:16)
  • The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (22:17;24:22)
  • Additional Sayings of the Wise (24:23-34)
  • Hezekiah's Collection of Solomon's Proverbs (chs. 25-29)
  • The Sayings of Agur (ch. 30)
  • The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1-9)
  • Epilogue: The Ideal Wife (31:10-31)



Sayings of the Wise

17 Listen to the words of the wise;
    apply your heart to my instruction.
18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
    and always ready on your lips.
19 I am teaching you today—yes, you—
    so you will trust in the Lord.
20 I have written thirty sayings[b] for you,
    filled with advice and knowledge.
21 In this way, you may know the truth
    and take an accurate report to those who sent you.
22 Don’t rob the poor just because you can,
    or exploit the needy in court.
23 For the Lord is their defender.
    He will ruin anyone who ruins them.
24 Don’t befriend angry people
    or associate with hot-tempered people,
25 or you will learn to be like them
    and endanger your soul.
26 Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt
    or put up security for someone else.
27 If you can’t pay it,
    even your bed will be snatched from under you.
28 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers
    set up by previous generations.
29 Do you see any truly competent workers?
    They will serve kings
    rather than working for ordinary people.

Footnotes:

  1. 22:8 The Greek version includes an additional proverb: God blesses a man who gives cheerfully, / but his worthless deeds will come to an end. Compare 2 Cor 9:7.
  2. 22:20 Or excellent sayings; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.


Proverbs 24 New Living Translation (NLT)

24 Don’t envy evil people
    or desire their company.
2 For their hearts plot violence,
    and their words always stir up trouble.
3 A house is built by wisdom
    and becomes strong through good sense.
4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
5 The wise are mightier than the strong,[a]
    and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;
    victory depends on having many advisers.
7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools.
    Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.
8 A person who plans evil
    will get a reputation as a troublemaker.
9 The schemes of a fool are sinful;
    everyone detests a mocker.
10 If you fail under pressure,
    your strength is too small.
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
    save them as they stagger to their death.
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
    For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
    He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
13 My child,[b] eat honey, for it is good,
    and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
    If you find it, you will have a bright future,
    and your hopes will not be cut short.
15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,
    and don’t raid the house where the godly live.
16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
    But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;
    don’t be happy when they stumble.
18 For the Lord will be displeased with you
    and will turn his anger away from them.
19 Don’t fret because of evildoers;
    don’t envy the wicked.
20 For evil people have no future;
    the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 My child, fear the Lord and the king.
Don’t associate with rebels,
22     for disaster will hit them suddenly.
Who knows what punishment will come
    from the Lord and the king?

More Sayings of the Wise

23 Here are some further sayings of the wise:
It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”
    will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;
    rich blessings will be showered on them.
26 An honest answer
    is like a kiss of friendship.
27 Do your planning and prepare your fields
    before building your house.
28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;
    don’t lie about them.
29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!
    I’ll get even with them!”
30 I walked by the field of a lazy person,
    the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
    It was covered with weeds,
    and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
    I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
    scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

Footnotes:

  1. 24:5 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads A wise man is strength.
  2. 24:13 Hebrew My son; also in 24:21.

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