Naamloos Sermon

UBS Handbook

3:13-18

The poem in verses  13–18  has as its main theme the reward, both material and spiritual, that wisdom brings. In the material sense, long life, wealth, and honor (verse  16 ) sum up what the people of Israel hoped for as blessings from God.

3:19-20

Wisdom and Creation (3:19–20)

Verses 19 and 20 relate creation and the operation of the natural world to wisdom. The thoughts expressed in these two verses are found again in 8:22–31. See also  and Psa 89; 104; and 139.

3:21-35

2E. Fifth Instruction (3:21–35)

With the address “My son,” which often signals a new theme, the remainder of chapter 3 (verses 21–35) abruptly switches to describe the security and protection that the Lord gives to the person who follows the instruction of wisdom. This division has three subdivisions. Verses 21–26describe the security and protection that come from the Lord. Verses 27–31urge a person to practice kindness. Finally, verses 32–35 contrast the rewards given to the upright with the punishments that are kept for the wicked.

3:27-31

How to Behave (3:27–31)

Verses 27–31 urge the learner of wisdom to practice kindness. These verses express negative commands addressed in the masculine singular form.

3:32-35

How the Lord Deals with Good and Evil (3:32–35)

Verse 32 may be viewed as a conclusion to the prohibitions listed in verses 27–31. At the same time it introduces verses 33–35, which also contain a contrast between the rewards that are given to the good and the punishments that are kept for the wicked.

4:1-27

content is based on the instructions given by a father to his son or sons. There are general exhortations or commands, both positive and negative, as well as reasons why these instructions should be followed. The first subdivision speaks of the rewards that come from following a father’s teaching about wisdom, just as the father received them from his father (verses 1–9). The second subdivision cautions the son to pursue the path of wisdom and avoid the way of the wicked (verses 10–19). The third subdivision continues to urge the son to follow the way of wisdom and to benefit from its rewards (verses 20–27).

4:1-9

Listen to Your Father (4:1–9)

Subdivision Heading

Some translations that have a heading for verses 1–9 are frcl “Acquire and keep wisdom,” cev “Advice to Young People,” gecl “Wisdom—the best thing you can get,” tob “Wisdom is a good acquisition,” and Scott “Wisdom as an Inheri tance.” The Handbook heading may need to be adjusted to say, for example, “Listen to the teachings of your father” or “Pay attention to your teacher.”

4:10-19

Wisdom gives you long life and protection (4:10–19)

Verses 10–19 may be divided into two parts. In verses 10–13 wisdom gives long life and protection. In verses 14–19the ways of the wicked are to be avoided.

4:20-27

Remember Wisdom and Enjoy Life (4:20–27)

Verses 20–22 are a reminder to remember wisdom and enjoy life. They advise the young learner to pay close attention to the teacher’s instruction (verses 20–21), and the consequence is life and health (verse 22). The subdivision concludes in verses 23–27with advice about living a life that is “straight,” using figurative language referring to various parts of the body.

4:23

Keep your heart with all vigilance: Keep your heart means to guard your thoughts; see tev. In some languages this is expressed as “Watch your mind,” “Keep a hand on your head,” or “Take care of your thoughts.” According to Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon (bdb), with all vigilance is literally “above all guarding,” that is, “more than anything else you may guard.” njbtranslates “More than all else, keep watch over your heart,” and njpsvhas “More than all that you guard, guard your mind.” We may also say, for example, “The most important thing you can do is be careful what you think” or “The most important … is to think good thoughts.”

For from it flow the springs of life: The thought expressed here is that what people think, what is in their minds, determines how they will act. See See . From it means “from the heart [mind].” The word rendered flow the springs usually refers to the extremity or border of a geographical territory, but in association with life it seems to have the sense of a source or place of origin. The thought is that a person’s life is somehow determined by the thoughts stored in the heart or mind: “Everything you do comes out of your heart.” cev says “Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.” tev translates this verse into very direct language and may serve as a model for translation.1

1 Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs (p. 112). New York: United Bible Societies.