The teacher of wisdom continues to highlight the importance of seeking wisdom.
Proverbs 4:1-2, Listen, listen, listen!
Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
This teaching section begins, as many do, with an emphasis on paying attention and noticing these important concepts. In a modern setting, a teacher might say, "Take notes! Write this down!"
Proverbs 4:3-4, Father to son to grandson
When I was a boy in my father's house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
The author recalls being taught, as his mother's only child, to lay hold of wisdom. As Alter points out, we have one teaching his son things that his father (the son's grandfather) taught him. This is an ANE theme, appearing also in Job, that wisdom grows with age (or should.)
Proverbs 4:5-9, Get wisdom!
Get wisdom,
get understanding;
do not forget my words
or swerve from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
Wisdom is supreme;
therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
she will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor."
There is a cyclical instruction on wisdom here -- the first step to wisdom is to consciously seek it. Alter translates the first stich of verse 7 as "The beginning of wisdom is -- get wisdom." Kidner agrees with that translation. One must seek wisdom in deliberate steps. Here wisdom is not a means to other rewards, but is itself a primary reward and goal.
Proverbs 4:10-12, A straight path
Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
Like Psalm 1, like the beginning of Proverbs, we are offered black and white choices. If one follows wisdom, their paths will be straight, smooth and unhampered.
This passage, the second piece of the chapter, begins again with the instructions, "Listen, my son."
Proverbs 4:13, It is your life
Hold on to instruction,
do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
In conclusion to the last verses, wisdom is life!
Proverbs 4:14-17, The path of wickedness
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
Once the straight path has been promoted, once the values of wisdom have been stressed, then the alternative is described. The other path is the crooked, stumbling pass of wickedness and, eventually, violence. The crooked path is one in which, eventually, doing evil becomes a job, an occupation!
Proverbs 4:18-19, Light and darkness
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
The two paths are contrasted here literally as black and white, darkness and day.
Proverbs 4:20-22, Life and health
My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.
One can outline the chapter into three sections:verses 1-9, 10-19, 20-27. Each begin with an explicit instruction to the son, here, "My son, pay attention," thus repeating the emphasis in the first two parts, beginning with verse 1 and then with verse 10.
Proverbs 4:23, Watch your heart
Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
Guarding one's heart, one's emotions and affections, is a critical part of gaining wisdom. I recall reading something by Scott Peck long ago on the importance of delayed gratification, something that is done consciously and deliberately.
Proverbs 4:24-27, Looking straight ahead
Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Earlier we are told wisdom makes one's paths straight and smooth. Here we are reminded to make that path straight by staying on course, looking straight ahead, refusing to swerve off the path given. There is some deliberate decision-making required in leveling paths so that one walks level paths! This, at first strange circular argument, is in keeping with the emphasis that Step 1 to obtaining wisdom is to seek wisdom!
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