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A Proverb Today (19:8)

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will find good (NASB).

To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper (NLT).

If I said the concept of loving one's self is advocated in scripture and this text proves it, many adherents of psychobabblers might be tempted to believe it.  But before we read just the New Living Translation and ponder the Oprahfication of Proverbs, we'd better take a more careful look at the text.  The word translated "wisdom" in the first line is "heart," and commentators view it as referring to "sense" (Waltke) or "character" (Longman).  The word translated "understanding" in both versions in the second phrase might be also rendered "know-how" or "competence."  The word "designates the pragmatic, applied aspect of thought, operating in the field of action; it aims at efficacy and accomplishment" (Fox).  The Sage is clearly emphasizing the comprehension and intelligence required to apply truth to life.  If his offspring will pursue this kind of practical intelligence, then they will preserve their lives (as opposed to love themselves) and experience a measure of prosperity.  "The person who heeds the sage's teachings is destined to preserve an abundant life in an open future" (Waltke).   

A Proverb Today (10:11)

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence (NASB).

The words of the godly lead to life; evil people cover up their harmful intentions (NLT).

We're going through a mini-water crisis at church right now.  We've consistently failed a bacteria test for the water coming out of our well.  We know the H2O is good in the well, but apparently it is going bad in the system somewhere.  I've been instructed to turn all the faucets in the church on at least once a week for thirty minutes, with some positive results the last couple of weeks.  We've always had a water cooler in the foyer as a fresh water resource, but it would be nice not to post signs saying, "The water is unsafe to drink."  Just seems a bit unseemly at a church.  A lot of us don't think about our fresh water supply.  We just turn a tap, and it is there.  But in much of the world, that simply isn't the case.  This would have certainly been true in the ancient world where cities and towns were built around fresh water supplies.  They became the center of the community; the hub of day-to-day life.  How many biblical scenes include wells?

Just as people are attracted to a life-giving fresh water supply, so they are drawn to words springing from a godly heart rooted in righteousness.  The mouth of the wise is a source of abundant life and vibrant health.  The community is blessed by such a resource.  In contrast, the words of the wicked hide their true intent.  Selfish motives are concealed by false platitudes, hypocrisy, and empty promises.  Communities are poisoned by bad wells, and eventually abandon their dry or deadly caverns.  Out of the abundance (or decadence) of the heart, the mouth speaks.

A Proverb a Day (6:27-29)

Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?  Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? So is the one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; whoever touches her will not go unpunished (NASB).

Can a man scoop fire into his lap and not be burned?  Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? So it is with the man who sleeps with another man's wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished (NLT).

The short commentary on these three verses is:  "No," "No," and "Ouch!"  The Sage reminds his son of the dire consequences of sexual immorality (6:26), and in this series of verses hits upon its certainty.  In a world lit only by fire the dangers of dancing flames are all too real.  Local papers just over a century old are replete with accounts of death by fire, particularly among children (we seem more concerned about kids pulling monstrous TVs down upon themselves).  The sexual imagery is stark and the lesson clear:  if you touch the fire you're going to get burned, and in all the wrong places.

A Proverb a Day (27:10)

Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity; better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away (NASB).

Never abandon a friend-either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away (NLT).

In a proverb that is uniquely structured, the Sage advises his son regarding the value of family friends and neighbors and their comparative worth to distant relatives.  The son is admonished to maintain close relationships with two generations of loyal friends, his own and those of his father.  In contrast to blood relatives, these relationships have been chosen and no doubt nurtured over the years forming a strong emotional bond.  Relationships such as these are especially helpful in times of crisis, as help must be near and timely.  The Sage is not discouraging close relationships among family members, but he is pointing out that geography and need impact the vitality of these bonds. 

The importance of this truth is somewhat lost in our culture, where we may maintain regular electronic communication with someone hundreds of miles distant, but never cross the street to talk to our neighbor.  It is difficult to think of a circumstance in which we are forced to turn to our neighbors for assistance, unless some serious calamity strike our neighborhood.  Perhaps the definition of "neighbor" has changed significantly in this culture.  I may be removed geographically from the people with whom I attend church and work, but they are truly my neighbors, and with the ease of modern communication and transportation, really never far away. 

A Proverb a Day (26:7)

{Like} the legs {which} are useless to the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools (NASB).

In the mouth of a fool, a proverb becomes as limp as a paralyzed leg (NLT).

After admonishing the king not to send a message by way of the fool in the previous verse, the Sage continues his lecture concerning fools and their careless attitude toward words.  The king might as well cut off his foot when entrusting his words to a fool (26:6), and here we discover the messenger is already handicapped anyway.  The fool's inability to understand and apply the wisdom at hand makes him a cripple.  Wise words may trip off his tongue, but since they have not changed the life they are like a useless limb dragged along behind the victim.  So we have an amputee for a king and a lame man for a messenger; a kingdom of fools is in a sorry state.  There are some who manage to get truth out of their mouths, but not into their hearts.  The Sage is worried about cripples in the king's palace, but no doubt there are many disabled in the pews on Sunday.

A Proverb a Day (24:15)

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place; for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in {time of} calamity (NASB).

Do not lie in wait like an outlaw at the home of the godly. And don't raid the house where the godly live. They may trip seven times, but each time they will rise again. But one calamity is enough to lay the wicked low (NLT).

If the Sage is directing this saying toward those who attack the righteous, then these are words of warning, but if intended for the son's ears, then it is a saying of encouragement.  Though the righteous may suffer repeated injustices, in this case deceitful ambush on the road and open attack at home, they will ultimately triumph.  On the other hand, the wicked--who are really fighting against God, will be utterly destroyed when calamity darkens their door.  Even their seeming victories are momentary in the Creator's economy.  The Sage takes the long view on tragedy and triumph knowing Yahweh's plans take precedence.

A Proverb a Day (23:15-16)

My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart also will be glad; and my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right (NASB).

My child, how I will rejoice if you become wise.  Yes, my heart will thrill when you speak what is right and just (NLT).

The words of the apostle John immediately come to mind when reading this text, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."  The parent/teacher's emotional wellbeing is intimately tied to the son/student's internalization of wisdom.  The son's love of wisdom is most evident in his choice of words.  His upright speech corresponds to reality being utterly devoid of deception.  The Sage may even be envisioning his charge taking on his role as a teacher of wisdom.  The proverb works as a motivational tool in the life of a son/student eager to please his parent/teacher, and speaks to the emotional benefit/cost of apprehension and application.  The opposite is certainly the case as one considers the trauma and pain caused by Absolom's rebellion in the heart of his father, David. 

A Proverb a Day (17:11)

A rebellious man seeks only evil, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him (NASB).

Evil people seek rebellion, but they will be severely punished (NLT).

There is some debate among translators regarding the first line of the proverb--what is the subject and what is the object?  In this case it appears the NLT (and KJV, NIV, NRSV) has followed the more probable reading.   People of corrupt character are bent on defying authority; fallen man comes by rebellion naturally.  Whose authority is in view here--God, the king, parents?  Obviously, it is someone that has the ability to respond with harsh consequences.  No doubt this could be the king, but more probably it is the LORD himself.  Who is the cruel messenger--an angel of death, death itself, a harvest of severe consequences?  The text is perhaps purposefully vague and therefore teaches the broader truth--we reap what we sow in this life or the next, no matter where we sow...in the king's court, private homes, or the throne room of our own hearts.  Life has taught the Sage that a rebellious heart reaps a cruel harvest.

A Proverb a Day (16:8)

Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice (NASB).

It is better to be poor and godly than rich and dishonest (NLT).

Another "better than" proverb to start off the week!  Of course there is nothing wrong with well-gotten gain, but if one is forced to make a choice between riches and righteousness, the scale drops like a rock under the weight of ethical and moral conduct.  The saying also serves as a reminder that godly living does not necessarily translate into material prosperity, but on the other hand, that extravagant living resulting from ill-gotten gain has its rewards.  One cannot help but think of the numerous headlines detailing corporate greed, political scandal, and church corruption.  Here is a saying to be carved into the doorposts of the seats of power in all three spheres--corporate, political, and religious.  Of course, it is also a reminder to the little guy that office supplies are not an expected part of our compensation package, as Dilbert might have us assume.

A Proverb a Day (10:10)

He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will be ruined (NASB).

People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace (NLT).

You'll notice there is quite a difference in the second line of the translations today.  The NASB follows the Masoretic Text, while the NLT translates the Septuagint (LXX).  Some commentators believe the MT may contain a case of dittography here--a scribe repeated a previous line of text--since "a babbling fool will be ruined" also occurs in 10:8b.  The LXX contains the expected antithetical parallelism, as does the Syriac, so I will follow that reading, having already dealt with the "babbling fool" phrase in 8b.

The Sage has little use for those who "wink the eye."  The cultural meaning for this practice is lost on us, though it may characterize a tolerance for wrongdoing, as opposed to the bold stance advocated in the second line.  As a cultural equivalent, we may say that a person "turned their back" or "looked the other way."  Some commentators suggest the action of winking may have some magical connotation, but this seems out of character with the Sage's down to earth themes.   In contrast, a bold confrontation of wrong behavior may actually bring about the desired results.  Problems do not diminish over time, and God may choose to honor a word spoken in due season:  {Like} an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear (Pr. 25:12).