Now that the writer of Proverbs has emphasized the importance of wisdom, we now move on to short proverbs that give wise advice. This section of Proverbs is separated from the first nine chapters by a simple statement at the beginning of verse 1:
Proverbs 10:1a, Now some proverbs
The proverbs of Solomon:
Most of these proverbs, into chapter 22, form two lines, examples of antithetical parallelism, with the second line offering a path in opposition to the first. The second line often begins in English translations with the word "but", a word that does not appear in the Hebrew text.
Proverbs 10:1b-5, Righteous living verses wicked living
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but righteousness delivers from death.
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Lazy hands make a man poor,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
We now have short two-line proverbs contrasting righteousness and wickedness. Righteousness is associated with wisdom; wickedness with foolishness and so, in verse 1 a wise child makes a parent happy; a wicked or foolish child bring grief. The parallelism of Hebrew poetry suggests that the second line not merely copy the first, so if the parent in the first line is the father then the parent in the second line is the mother. (And it is mothers who are often more deeply grieved by their children.)
In verses 2 through 5, we see a connection between wisdom, diligence and legitimate wealth, in contrast to scheming and laziness.
Proverbs 10:6-8, Diligence and laziness
Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
The wicked speak violence, their names are associated with rot and decay, they chatter incessantly and come to ruin. In contrast, the blessings surround the righteous, even in their memory. One aspect of wisdom is accepting direction and criticism.
Proverbs 10:9, Deceit leads to disaster
The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
As in Proverbs 28:18, the evil person is eventually found out and ruined. According to the Gospel of Luke (see Luke 12:3), the Messiah said, what is said in secret will be revealed, shouted from the rooftops. Once could only wish, like Job, that this happened more often and more quickly!
(Verses 6 to 8, in their description of the chattering, violent wicked, remind me of a particular US politician; verse 9 is reassuring, even in its delay. I am sure my reactions are not unique to this country or time.)
Proverbs 10:10-12, Speech
He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs.
The chattering fool and the one who signals deceit cause pain and ruin. Such people are violent (the second line of verse 11 is the same as the second line of 6) and love to stir up hatred and dissension. In contrast, the words of the righteous are precious and help reconcile hurts.
Proverbs 10:13, Wisdom and punishment
Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
The rod on the back must represent some type of punishment, such as a flogging/
Proverbs 10:14-17, Discipline and wealth
Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
The wages of the righteous bring them life,
but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.
He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
Righteousness is linked to wisdom, wickedness to lack of judgment. There is no simple sin in wealth (verse 15) but it should be the wages of the righteous (verse 16.)
Alter suggests that verse 15, on wealth and poverty is almost a tautology. Of course the poor are ruined! (I am reminded of a quote from my father, "I'd rather be rich and healthy than sick and poor!", a parody on some of these proverbs.) But in context, verse 15 simply assumes that wise actions and diligence lead to wealth and that that type of wealth is good.
Once again, in verse 17, there is an emphasis on accepting correction.
Proverbs 10:18-21, Slander and wise speech
He who conceals his hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment.
It is good to think carefully about the words one says. The voice of the righteous (or their silence) is precious but the chattering, slandering fool does damage.
Proverbs 10:22, Peaceful wealth
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth,
and he adds no trouble to it.
Obedience to YHWH bring wealth and satisfaction.
Proverbs 10:23, Delight in wisdom!
A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct,
but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
It is good to think carefully about the words one says. The voice of the righteous (or their silence) is precious but the chattering, slandering fool does damage.
Proverbs 10:24-25, Wicked swept away
What the wicked dreads will overtake him;
what the righteous desire will be granted.
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.
The wicked are swept away; the righteous are stable and prosperous. (But see the book of Job!)
For a New Testament version of verse 25, see Matthew 7: 24-27.
Proverbs 10:26, What is vinegar to the teeth?
As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is a sluggard to those who send him.
Alter suggests that this is an answer to a riddle, "What is vinegar to the teeth yet smoke to the eyes?" Answer: The sluggard to those who send him.
Proverbs 10:27-28, Long life
The fear of the LORD adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.
The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.
The lifestyle of the righteous leads to a long life and joy; not so the wicked. (The rod on the back must represent some type of punishment, such as a flogging?)
Proverbs 10:29-32, Stable
The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
These verses focus on stability. The righteous are stable, deeply rooted, full of wisdom to navigate life. Their stability ultimately depends on "the way of YHWH." In contrast, the wicked are unstable, easily dismissed, with a perverse (crooked) lying tongue.
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