THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON:
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son grief to his mother.
2Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but righteousness delivers from death.
3The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4Lazy hands make a man poor,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
5He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
6Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
7The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
8The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
9The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
10He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
12Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs.
13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
14Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
15The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
16The wages of the righteous bring them life,
but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.
17He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
18He who conceals his hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
19When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.
20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment.
22The blessing of the LORD brings wealth,
and he adds no trouble to it.
23A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct,
but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
24What the wicked dreads will overtake him;
what the righteous desire will be granted.
25When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.
26As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is a sluggard to those who send him.
27The fear of the LORD adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.
29The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
30The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
31The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.
32The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
Original Meaning
BEGINNING WITH THE comparison of wise and foolish sons in 10:1, the collection of proverbs in chapters 10–15 brings together contrast after contrast, challenging readers to look closely at the many variations of opposition between the “righteous” and the “wicked.” The righteous and wicked contrasts are clustered in 10:1–11:13, thus placing ethical concerns at the forefront of this larger section of individual sayings (10:1–22:16). This section is the second part of the book’s three-part teaching strategy.1
In this first collection of sentence proverbs (see the second collection at 25:1–29:27), two smaller sections appear. In chapters 10–15, antithetic parallelism dominates, so that each two-line saying demonstrates a contrast, often between the righteous and the wicked. Chapters 16–22 (up to 22:16) use more synonymous parallelism, though some contrasts are drawn between the foolish and the wise. While often the foolish and wise are identified with the wicked and the righteous respectively, this identification does not mean they are equivalent expressions. Finally, in chapters 15 and 16 themselves, a concentration of Yahweh proverbs establishes a theological center to the larger collection of individual sayings in 10:1–22:16.
Proverbs 10 does appear to have an organizational scheme, although not every proverb neatly fits its themes. Following a prologue on wise and foolish sons, two larger sections, each beginning with the word “blessing,” can be marked.
Prologue: Wise and foolish sons and the watching Yahweh (10:1–5)
Blessing and the life of the community (10:6–21)
Blessing of Yahweh and the ends of the righteous and wicked (10:22–32)
The first and last sections name “the LORD” (Yahweh), while the middle one does not. Each of the two larger sections end with a proverb pair about righteous and sinful speech (10:20–21 and 31–32). There is also some pairing of bicola through 10:20–21 (vv. 2–3, 4–5, 6–7, etc.),2 but the proverbs are also related by catchwords and themes to those that come before and after (Prov. 10:8 and 10 both use identical second lines, as do 10:6 and 11).3 The connections “suggest that a collection of proverbs is not merely a compilation of random observations but a synthetic compendium of insights from a coherent world and throwing light on a coherent world.”4 Not all interpreters are convinced that such arrangements represent the writer’s intention, since not all proverbs of a proposed section are related to its theme. In my reading, the sections mark the way a critical mass of similar proverbs gathers together, interacting as readers make comparisons, while maintaining their character as independent sayings.
Because this commentary will treat the individual (or sentence) proverbs as independent sayings and as part of a collection assembled by the sages, some explanation of my interpretive method may help readers use it in teaching and preaching (see also “What Is a Proverb” in the introduction). In the Original Meaning section, I will comment on each proverb as a saying in its own right, sometimes suggesting how it may have been used in ancient culture. I will also note where catchwords and similar links with other proverbs appear, but only stating where they may be found and possible groupings. In the Bridging Contexts section, I will make interpretive comments on the links, suggesting themes and theological insights that draw sections together. In the Contemporary Significance section, I will try to show how those themes might speak to our lives today, hoping that these general comments will apply to a number of different proverbs.
How does one study the proverbs as individual sayings? The most basic and fruitful practice compares the two parallel lines, looking for the ways in which the two lines are similar and looking for the ways in which they are different. Thus, for example, in 10:29, “The way of the Lord” is stated in the first line and implied in the second, yet that same way is both “a refuge for the righteous” and “ruin for those who do evil.” The juxtaposition of the two lines often has an element of surprise that closer inspection uncovers. So here, the “way of the Lord” might be understood as the way one walks in life, a recurring image in the instructions of chapters 1–9. However, this way is a ruin for those who have never walked on it, so the second line defines “the way of the Lord” as a reference to God’s way of dealing with the world. The comparison also clarifies the use of the metaphor “way.”5
Whereas many of these individual sayings most likely had their origin in oral culture,6 they now reside in collections where they are read and deciphered. We will see that a number of proverbs speak to common themes like money, friendship, or honest speaking. One can learn a great deal by bringing these proverbs together and summarizing their teaching.7 But this is not the way these sayings are presented to the reader. Instead, proverbs on a similar topic are scattered throughout the collection, yet often a catchword or recurring image will lead the reader to interpret one proverb in the light of the other. Just as the two lines relate to one another, so repeated and contrasting words, images, and themes of the individual sentence proverbs “speak” to one another.
The fact that these proverbs are brought together in complementary or contrasting relationships suggests that this is an intentional arrangement. So, for example, the famous pair at 26:4–5 recommends two different responses for handling the fool. Interpreters have surmised that readers discern which approach is right by taking account of the situation. Sometimes one should “answer a fool according to his folly,” but at other times one should not. Hildebrandt finds sixty-two examples of proverbial pairing (124 verses out of 595 in Prov. 10–29). He finds pairs that are related by semantics, syntax, and theme (and distinct from their neighbors).8
Therefore, this commentary will also attend to repetitions and contrasts that link the proverbs in their literary context.9 The proverbs seem to start one theme only to leave it off while taking on another that is related in some more or less obvious way. The theme will be picked up again, restated with variation of both vocabulary and content. For example, themes and images of final outcomes, blessing, but also dread and annihilation, intertwine in 10:22–32, although not every saying in this section treats that theme.
This technique reminds me of the interweaving of multiple stories in television dramas and soap operas. D. W. Griffith, one of the first great film directors, kept audiences on the edge of their seats when he brought together four related stories of Intolerance. Griffith’s intent was to show how the different stories related to a common truth; in a similar way, proverbs present various viewpoints of that common truth. Therefore, sections of these collected sentence proverbs do not address a single theme or present a monologue but rather use similarity and contrast in the way impressionist painters used strokes of color. For Claude Monet, splashes of light brown, when mixed with other strokes of blue or even green, could become a picture of a haystack at morning, noon, or sunset. So also in the writings of the ancient Near East, bringing disparate texts together by means of a perceived commonality can be seen in the Gilgamesh Epic and in Psalms 19, 83, and 89.10
Integration can take place by means of vocabulary. Whybray suggests that criteria for discerning larger or smaller collections of sayings look for frequency of sound or sense. If a collection shows much use of a sound or word and the sense or theme seems also to be repeated, the greater the likelihood that the sayings were intended to be read together. The likelihood is even greater when sound and sense work together.11 Heim believes that related proverbs were gathered together into clusters, like the clusters of grapes on a vine.12 His determination of clusters does not allow for overlap or hinging; a proverb belongs to either one group or another, but this oversimplifies the complex network of relationships one can observe. Sometimes clusters span two chapters, but the commentary will follow the traditional chapter divisions and point out the links.
To summarize, readers can look for the following relations between individual proverbs: pairs, catchword clusters, links that may begin or end a section, and concentrations of Yahweh sayings. The connections highlight the concentrations of related proverbs and may point to an intended literary structure. The most general statement we can make, and probably the safest, is that the sayings began as folk proverbs and were later collected and arranged by an editor or editors. While it is clear that some proverb pairs and concentrations of Yahweh proverbs are the products of an editor’s design, it is less certain that all of the relationships readers find between individual sayings are also by design. The lack of agreement about groupings among interpreters shows these proposals are somewhat subjective. Rather than saying that the proverbs are gathered into discrete sections, the outlines presented here are intended to point out concentrations of proverbs on a common theme. No outline will capture the organizational strategy of the collection, but suggestions about clusters can alert the reader to relationships and interaction.
Because the proverbs are arranged in sequence, this commentary assumes that reading the sayings in relation to one another can yield greater insights. Some that are generated may be the products of reader’s intuitions, but in the sage’s strategy of comparing and contrasting, that is not so bad. It may be that the sages who collected and arranged these proverbs said, “These are the relationships we see—if you see others, then you are using your learning to discover new truths.” As individual sayings, the proverbs not only name a situation but suggest a strategy for coping with it. As sayings in a collection, they interact, amplifying each other, qualifying one another, and teasing the reader to find the connections and draw readerly conclusions. Both interpretive approaches rely on the perceptiveness of the reader and the willingness to take time to reflect and probe beneath the surface.
Finally, we can ask: Who is the speaker in this series of comparisons? Proverbial sayings are typically the property of the community that uses them, and so the nameless voice that teaches by provocation can be thought of as the community that seeks to bring its members into conformity. The sayings pass on the accumulated wisdom of those who have gone before and those who keep the tradition alive. The proverbs are a means of socialization.13
In any case, what is more significant is that the voice of the parent recedes. The reference to father and mother in the opening verses of chapter 10 is made in third person—they no longer speak to the son, as though the young man has been turned out into the world, or to the teaching of the community. Once the instructions of chapters 1–9 have been heeded (or mastered), the reader/student is ready to learn from the larger pool of wisdom from the community. However, it is also conceivable that parents used the community’s teaching.14 Moreover, given that the sayings come immediately after the invitation to Wisdom’s banquet of learning, we can also say that this omnipresent teacher is the voice of Wisdom herself, calling young men (“sons”) to walk in her straight paths. Ultimately, we may also say that the voice of the teacher is that of Yahweh, who gives wisdom as a gift to those who cry out for it (2:1–6).
Prologue: Wise and Foolish Sons and the Watching Yahweh (10:1–5)
THE SECTION IS framed with contrasts between wise and dishonorable sons in verses 1 and 5; terms for material substance and wealth are woven throughout.
10:1. “Proverbs of Solomon” recalls the opening words of the book as it marks a new major section. We might ask why the superscription is necessary; a first and obvious answer is the change in form from extended instruction in chapters 1–9 to the individual saying or sentence.
Each line of the saying in 10:1 begins with Hebrew ben (“son”), reminding the reader of the many instructions that began with the address, “my son.” Unlike the instructions of chapters 1–9, the speaker is not identified as a parent teaching a young son, yet this unidentified voice describes the contrast between the wise and fools in terms of the joy or grief it brings to parents. In ancient times as now in the Middle East, children grew up to be a family’s honor or shame. Even today men in Arab cultures are addressed by the name of their oldest son. When my father-in-law worked in Amman, Jordan, he was called “Abu Steve” (“father of Steve”).
The intended contrast, then, is not between joyful fathers and grieving mothers but between the honor or shame that comes to both parents based on their son’s choices. Therefore, this first proverb supplements the instruction of 9:12 that one is wise for one’s own sake, adding that life choices also cause others to rejoice or grieve. The rejoice/grief pair is found only in 14:13 and the strong parallel of 17:21.15 The appearance of a “wise son” and his parents marks the middle and end points of the contrasting proverbs (10:1; 15:20).16 The mention of family also connects with the larger theme of establishing a household, which runs throughout Proverbs.17
10:2. This contrast is (lit.) between the “treasures of wickedness” that are no profit when compared with “righteousness that delivers from death.” “Death,” the last word in the saying, determines its meaning. For anyone who takes moral shortcuts in acquiring wealth, those riches will not offer security or long life, the opposite of death in Proverbs (cf. 15:16; 21:6). “Righteousness” implies the presence of Yahweh, who is named in the next verse.
10:3. The truth of 10:2 can be attributed to the general order of the world, but in the final analysis it is Yahweh who sees to the care of the righteous (cf. also Ps. 37:19, 25; Prov. 13:21). Here is no promise that righteousness will shield its bearer from all troubles and cares. Rather, the righteous will not suffer the hunger that comes from thwarted craving, the trouble that comes to those who get caught in their ways (cf. the gang of ch. 1). The contrast of 10:3 lies between the life or desire of the righteous (“life,” nepeš, can also mean “throat”) and the desire or craving of the wicked. Thus, desire brings life or death, depending on the intention that guides it.
Verses 2–3 form a couplet, each beginning with the Hebrew negative lo (“not”), so they should be compared. The first and second lines of each match up well: Treasures of wickedness do not profit (v. 2a), but Yahweh does not allow the righteous to go hungry (v. 3a). That stress on Yahweh’s care for the righteous explains why righteousness delivers from death (v. 2b). So we also see that the terms for righteousness and wickedness correspond, with wickedness going first and last, righteousness going in between. We will note a similar pairing as we look at verses 4–5.
10:4. This verse in Hebrew is structured chiastically, with terms for poverty and wealth coming at beginning and end, the contrast between slack and diligent hands adjacent to one another in the middle. The statement grows richer in meaning when set alongside its adjacent verses and in its larger context of 10:1–5. Its general truth about the value of hard work should not be taken as a promise that God is constrained to fulfill but as a description of what generally happens in life. Murphy reminds us that “no proverb says it all.”18
10:5. The contrast between industry and idleness in verse 4 is here enriched with a twist: The one who gathers is wise, but the one who sleeps is not called a fool as we would expect; instead, he is a shameful son. Substitutions like this are a kind of association,19 and here it links folly with disgrace. The picture of harvest in the book of Ruth shows everyone involved in the strenuous work; when the crop is ready, it cannot wait, it must come in. The idea of someone sleeping during this time is not only a symbol of laziness (cf. 10:4) but also of disregard for the concerns of family and village. No wonder the word “fool” is not strong enough!
Verses 4–5 also relate to one another in chiastic or mirror fashion—the laziness, poverty, and shame of 10:4a and 10:5b contrasted with the diligence, wealth, and wisdom of 10:4b and 10:5a. The theme of laziness reappears in 10:26, and so we will watch to see how it is used there.
In sum, the individual lines of 10:1–5 are sewn together in pairs and quartets to assemble a complex quilt of values and admonitions. The beauty of the picture that results is diminished when the pieces are only viewed in isolation. In other words, these sayings are meant to be read as individual parts but then integrated into larger wholes. What is gained are the insights into interaction between pairs, each enriching the meaning of the other “as iron sharpens iron.”
Larger structures of arrangement can be noted as well. A chiastic structure of 10:1–5 is defined by the use of keywords and recurrent themes. The keyword “son” and the theme of parental joy and honor link verses 1 and 5. The words “righteous” and “wicked” and the theme of riches create a compound truth in verses 2 and 4; diligence and wealth are better than laziness and poverty, but ill-gotten treasures will not profit. The center of the structure (v. 3) sets the situation of wealth and poverty in the larger context of God’s care for the righteous and his frustration of craving greed.20
A Wise son makes parents glad, foolish son brings grief (v. 1)
B Treasures of wickedness do not profit (v. 2)
C Yahweh satisfies and thwarts (v. 3)
B′ Riches of the diligent (v. 4)
A′ Wise son gathers, sleeping son brings shame (v. 5)21
What new insight is added by reading the first five verses together? They recommend wise attitudes toward both wealth and family. Verse 2, following on verse 1, offers wisdom as the antidote for folly, defined as a wicked craving for treasures. Verses 4–5 together speak of a wealth gained through wisdom’s diligence, defining folly as sloth, not grasping. Both forms of folly bring negative consequences to the family. Yahweh’s oversight of human affairs makes sure that life is lived in a balance between active acquiring and passive receiving. There is to be no grasping in wickedness, no slacking in laziness. Both have a common root in irresponsibility—a failure to work for one’s own. Both, in a sense, are forms of stealing. There is a circular movement of the section that associates the lazy son of verse 5 with the grieved parents of verse 1, but it includes the reminder that diligence without righteousness is worthless.
In my view, the most significant feature of this structure compares the importance of these decisions about wealth and community with the ever-present justice of Yahweh. However we allow structure to guide our reading of 10:1–5, it is clear that this section serves both to introduce the collection of sayings that follows and to look back at the concerns of the first prologue and the instructions of chapters 1–9. Just as the section links what comes before and after, so the concerns of wisdom, righteousness, and fear of Yahweh are linked and inseparable.
Blessing and the Life of the Community (10:6–21)
IN THIS SECTION, proverbs about speaking and listening are intertwined with proverbs that touch on the matters of wealth, income, and rewards.
10:6. “Blessings,” the first word of the saying, has no referent; it is not stated what the blessings are or who gives them. The context of verses 5 and 7 speak of honor in family and community, but verse 22 names blessings of wealth from Yahweh (see also 10:6, 7, 22; 11:11, 26; 24:25; 28:20). The ambiguity leaves open both possibilities, so we look to the parallel line for help. In contrast to blessings that come on the head is violence that overwhelms the mouth of the wicked (cf. second line of 10:22, that Yahweh adds no trouble to his blessing). Honor and wealth are so intimately related in Proverbs that it is impossible to separate them, and so we look to a primary sense of honor with a secondary sense of wealth that often brings honor to those who practice diligence (10:4–5) and righteousness (10:6–7).
The second line can be read forward or backward in Hebrew, reversing the subject and object, so the footnote in the NIV reads, “but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” The word translated “overwhelms” (yekasseh) basically means “cover,” so the second line can read, “violence covers the mouth.”22 The rest of the Old Testament uses the word in two ways: “conceal” (as in Job 16:18 and Prov. 10:8; so NRSV and NIV footnote) and “fill” (as in Isa. 60:2; Ezek. 30:18; Jer. 3:25, yielding “violence fills the mouth,” as if to overwhelm it; cf. Hab. 2:17).23 The ambiguity in this verse seems to be intentional: A wicked person’s mouth can conceal violence, but ultimately, that violence will come back to overwhelm it.
The Hebrew phrase is repeated in the second line of Proverbs 10:11, yet the LXX translates the two lines differently. This variation has led many commentators to conclude that the text has been corrupted. However, the second lines of verses 8 and 10 are also identical, so we take the repetition as intentional and read the Hebrew text as it stands.24
10:7. The righteous/wicked contrast carries over from 10:6. Just as the first line of verse 6 begins with the word “blessing,” so the first line of verse 7 ends with it. Again, the referent is not stated, so we are not sure what the blessing is, who gives it, or who it is for, but the second line fills in more of the picture. Instead of the expected opposite “curse,” the “blessing” of the first colon is contrasted with a name that rots, a vivid description of social shame. Like the human body, reputations can putrefy and then disappear.
10:8. The contrast between the “wise in heart” and the “chattering fool” (lit., “fool’s lips”) is really a contrast of attitudes toward speaking and listening; the wise are silent and learn from commands, while the fool’s lips are too busy prattling to learn what would prevent ruin. So Hosea warned that “a people without understanding will come to ruin!” (Hos. 4:14). Failure to listen also characterizes the mocker and wicked man (Prov. 9:7–9). Wisdom that begins in the heart listens; it is open to teaching, while the heart that lacks wisdom shows itself in folly on the lips. The second line of 10:8 is identical with the second line of 10:10.
10:9. The Hebrew wordplay can be translated literally, “Who walks right walks safe,” reminding the reader of wisdom’s promises of protection (1:33; 4:6; cf. 3:23–26). The contrast between a walk of integrity and ways that are crooked reminds the reader of the two roads seen so often throughout chapters 1–9. The contrast of final destinations warns against loss of reputation, not the physical danger that a reader might expect. This exposure to social disapproval echoes the judgments of 10:5 and 7. The Hebrew word for “integrity” (tom) is repeated in 10:29, translated as “righteous.”
10:10. Unlike the nine previous proverbs, this saying presents not a contrast but a twofold picture of wickedness, comparing the pain inflicted on others with the ruin that comes to the “chattering fool.” A wink is typically a secret signal associated with the evil and deceptive person in Proverbs. That person also comes to disaster (6:12–15), but it may be that the contrast intended here juxtaposes the grief caused to others and the grief brought on oneself. The comparison may also link the sly and smug wink that thinks it has put one over and the fool that is too busy babbling to learn; both come to a grievous end.
The second line of the verse is identical with 10:8, and this second repetition of a line (cf. 10:6b, 11b) suggests an intentional arrangement. The LXX has a different second line that reads “but the one who rebukes boldly makes peace” (adopted by NRSV, Clifford, and Murphy). However, the change is not required to make sense of the Hebrew text, and so the TNK translates it: “He whose speech is foolish comes to grief.”
10:11. The contrast between the righteous and wicked resumes with this verse, but it will not appear again until 10:16. “Violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked” (cf. 10:6) may speak of the violence that comes from a wicked mouth, the way that “guilt was all over his face” points to the irony of deception that reveals more than it hides. If so, then its second appearance here, set in contrast with the mouth from which life springs like a fountain, adds nuance and color. In both verses 6 and 11 the righteous are associated with blessing and life, the wicked with violence that cuts life short.25 The repetition of lines suggests a mirror arrangement that matches the righteous/wicked sayings of verses 6–7 with 11 and the chattering fools of verses 8 and 10. The structure draws our attention to the importance of speech. “Fountain of life” is introduced here for the first of four times in Proverbs (cf. 13:14; 14:27; 16:22); here it is used for righteous speech that refreshes and maintains life.
10:12. The catchword “covers” links with neighboring verse 11, where “overwhelms” translates the same Hebrew word (cf. comments on 10:6 and 11). Here the term signifies neither deceitful concealing nor overwhelming violence,26 but the covering that promotes healed relationships, the way that a bandage covers a wound. Hatred stirs up, love smoothes over. Discord and dissension spring from hatred, but harmony is nurtured by love (cf. James 5:20; 1 Peter 4:8). Without naming the human faculty of speech, this verse not only offers guidance in using it but praise for its beauty when used rightly.
10:13. There are two contrasts in this saying, the first between the wisdom that is found on the lips and the punishment that falls on the back, the second between the person who has discernment and the one who lacks judgment (lit., “lacks heart”; cf. 9:4). The proverb joins with those that have come before to point out the pipeline that connects heart and lips (10:6, 8, 10, 11). The person of discernment has wisdom to give from a heart that has stored up knowledge (cf. 2:1–2; 3:1; 4:20–21); the person lacking in heart has nothing to give but only receives punishment. Perhaps the contrast also means to show that the wise understand sound speech while fools only understand punishment (cf. 9:12).27
10:14. A contrast similar to that of verse 13 sets the good possession of the wise against the bad consequences that come to the fool; the catchword ḥkm (wisdom, wise) also links the two verses. The wise in their knowledge know when to share it and when it is best to keep it in reserve; fools, lacking such discretion and self-control, speak in ways that eventually will come back to harm them.28
10:15. This proverb is linked with verse 14 by the catchword “ruin” (meḥittah) and by the comparison of the wise who store up knowledge with the rich who store up wealth as fortification. Here the contrast lies in the security wealth provides for the rich with the assault of poverty on the needy. One protects, the other attacks (cf. “ruins” in Ps. 89:40–41); the same is true of wisdom and folly. The point centers in the metaphor that one stores knowledge for protection, not in any virtue of storing up wealth and not in any blame for poverty on folly. The proverbs warn that lazy fools become poor and vulnerable (cf. Prov. 6:11), but they never claim that all who are poor are lazy.
10:16. It is the topic of economics that links verses 15 and 16 thematically, moving from general terms for economic status to more specific terms for wages and income.29 Taken together, these two verses make the point seen earlier (10:2–5) that righteousness can offer some sense of security that ill-gotten wealth cannot; in fact, the income of the wicked leads to disaster. While wealth can protect, that protection becomes a metaphor for the results of righteous action. Only the wages of righteousness can give final security. The righteous/wicked contrast does not appear again until 10:20.
10:17. “Life,” the catchword in verses 16 and 17 (cf. 10:2, 11), is abundant life in the sense of wisdom’s offer of health, security, and prosperity. Its contrast is not with death but with “punishment,” a word usually translated “sin,” a falling short of the mark. The idea of falling short may be used for inadequate income, the opposite of a reward.30 The Hebrew is difficult and could be translated, “A path to life, whoever observes instruction, but whoever rejects reprimand goes astray.”31 The point is not so much whether one goes down a right path or leads another that way, for both usually go together. Rather, the main contrast observes that a person either heeds (šmr; lit., “keeps”) discipline and correction or abandons it; the choice determines whether one walks the path of life or wanders. Walking and wandering recount the major themes of chapters 1–9 (esp. 9:7–8). The contrast with “life” is similar to that in 10:16; one expects to read “death” but instead finds wandering or erring, a kind of “sin.”
10:18. Each of the proverbs in 10:18–21 is connected to the theme of right speaking. The main contrast in 10:18 is not as clear, since both lines name a sin of speech. The difference between hiding hatred and spreading it through slander is one of action, not intent; both forms of deceit have the potential to be equally destructive. Some believe that the verse should be emended to agree with the LXX, “The one who forgives hatred has righteous lips.”32 Others argue that “lying lips” should be the subject (so NRSV), and still others suggest that both lines take the predicate “is a fool.” The difficulties in translation should not obscure the wordplay on “cover” (ksh; cf. 10:6, 11, 12), especially in combination with “hatred” here and in 10:12. Love may cover wrongs, including hatred’s dissension, but concealed hatred is deadly.
10:19. This proverb warns against the dangers of slander from another angle. The second line literally reads, “The one who restrains lips. . . .” The connection with “lying lips” in verse 18 points to a time when concealing or holding back speech can be a good thing. Words are like sheep; the more there are, the better the chances that some will go astray. The same word for wise (maśkil) is used of the wise son in 10:5.
10:20. The contrast of worth (“choice silver” versus “little value”) traces the outflow of the tongue to its source, the heart. “Choice silver” reminds the reader of the promised yield of wisdom that is even greater than silver (3:14). Here “heart” is indicative of the source and intention, a theme continued in 10:21. To be lacking in heart is to lack judgment and character (10:13; cf. 4:23).
10:21. “Lack of judgment” is literally to “lack heart” (cf. v. 13). Here, as in verse 20, the heart stands in parallel with that which speaks. Readers would expect a contrast between wise lips that nourish others and a foolish heart that does not, but as is often the case in these proverbs, the second line highlights the negative consequences that fall back on the fool. The word “nourish” comes with the image of the shepherd who feeds the sheep, contrasted with the fool who cannot even feed himself. The wise speak in a way that benefits others; the fool speaks in a way that leads to his own ruin (cf. 10:10).
In sum, this section ends with a pair of proverbs that stress the value of wise speech, contrasting it with the trouble that comes to the wicked and fools. The proverbs of the section describe the contrasting outcomes in terms of outcomes in this life; they support the idea that “what goes around comes around” more than “vengeance is mine, says the LORD.” We will read on to see that the proverbs in 10:22–32 do describe the fate of the wicked in terms commonly associated with the judgment of Yahweh.
Blessing of Yahweh and the Ends of the Righteous and Wicked (10:22–32)
THIS SECTION IS marked out by three proverbs that name “the LORD” (10:22, 27, 29), each with its own description of “trouble” that comes on the foolish and wicked. The righteous/wicked contrast appears in most of these proverbs.
10:22. This saying on the blessings of wealth calls for extra attention. First, we look inside the proverb and note the contrast between two related actions of Yahweh; his blessing brings wealth and he adds no trouble to it. The second line sounds strange to our ears, though not when we learn that “trouble” is in store for the wicked, as the following verses make clear. The Hebrew word for “trouble” (ʿeṣeb) in Proverbs can also be used for harshness (cf. 15:1), sorrow, or hard labor (5:10; 14:23). So a footnote in the NRSV offers an alternate translation, “and toil adds nothing to it.”
At face value this alternate reading appears to contradict the sages’ approval of hard work stated in 10:4, but it reminds readers that work done with an attitude of self-sufficiency runs counter to Israel’s faith and wisdom. So Psalm 127:1, credited to wise Solomon, states: “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Next, we look at other proverbs in the chapter with similar vocabulary and theme. Proverbs 10:6–7 have said that blessings come to the righteous, not violence or dishonor; a similar view of final accounting runs throughout 10:22–32. Taken together, 10:6–7 and 22 name the typical wisdom trio of substance, longevity, and honor. Therefore, in this present verse, the blessing of Yahweh brings wealth that does not come with the trouble that comes with the wealth the wicked obtain.
10:23. The contrast between the fool’s evil and the love of wisdom highlights different tastes in what brings pleasure and delight. The second line sounds tautological; we would expect a man of understanding to take delight in wisdom, or perhaps in this context, wise conduct. The contrast is with the irony of the shortsighted fool, who finds pleasure in what will destroy him (cf. 10:21). Note the link with desire and fear in 10:24. The word for “delight” is used twice in 8:30–31 for the mutual affection that Wisdom and people of understanding have for each other.
10:24. The unwanted dread of the wicked will still come, while that which the righteous desires will be given. The similarity is the certainty of reward, the contrast in whether the outcomes are welcome. Compared with verse 23, we might observe that the pleasure of evil conduct mentioned there is followed here by the horror of its final consequences. A similar statement comes from Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” The converse is treated in Psalm 37:10: “A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.”
10:25. The comparison is similar to that of verse 24, this time using the metaphor of a sweeping storm that carries away anything not secured fast. Read together, 10:24 and 25 suggest that the righteous desire and are given long life. The Hebrew for “forever” (ʿolam) is repeated in 10:30: “The righteous will never [lit., forever . . . not] be uprooted.” A similar picture to the one in this proverb pair was presented by Wisdom in 1:26–27.
10:26. This vivid saying not only interrupts the sequence of righteous/wicked proverbs, it seems to change the subject abruptly. Moreover, instead of the expected two-part comparison, there are three. Van Leeuwen calls this a saying about “the incongruous or unfitting,”33 and its appearance here seems out of place as well. Taken together, the three irritants suggest that the sluggard who will not work for his own benefit also will not work for the benefit of others. Presumably, the “one who sends him” hopes that he will represent him well, probably in carrying a message. The employer’s disappointment is even more extreme in 26:6: “Like cutting off one’s feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.” Still, the opposite, refreshment like the cool of snow on a hot day, comes from a trustworthy messenger (25:13; cf. 13:17). The proverb may recommend getting rid of the sluggard like one who spits out vinegar or moves out of a smoky place.
Read from two different points of view, the proverb sends two slightly different messages. From the perspective of the one sending, wisdom suggests that the sender should consider what is fitting and weigh outcomes when choosing a representative. But the one who is sent should also consider outcomes and determine what kind of messenger one will be. Who, the proverb asks, would choose a sluggard to be a messenger? So diligence in learning wisdom is recommended via a negative example.
10:27. The contrast between long life and years cut short also pits fear of Yahweh against wickedness. The theme returns to the respective futures of the righteous and wicked, reminding the reader of 10:16. Wisdom and long life are linked in 3:2, 16; 19:23. Fear of Yahweh will appear again throughout the sayings in 14:26–27; 15:16, 33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4, but it especially directs the reader back to the prologue and its development in chapters 1–9.
10:28. Having seen what lies ahead for the righteous and wicked in 10:27, this second saying of a pair is a variation on the theme of 10:24, that only the righteous receive what they hope for. The wicked not only fail to get what they desire (10:28), they do receive what they fear (10:24). We may observe a mirror pattern in the framing of two proverb pairs about future outcomes (10:24–25 and 27–28) around the incongruous proverb about vinegar, smoke, and sluggards. Is there a connection? Certainly the one sending gets an unexpected result from choosing the sluggard, perhaps like tasting vinegar when one expects wine. Likewise, hoping for good, all the sender gets from the sluggard is irritation.
10:29. The last of the three proverbs about Yahweh in this section is also in construct/genitive form like the others: having considered the blessing of Yahweh and the fear of Yahweh, the proverb now recommends the way of Yahweh. Here is the only direct association of “the way” with Yahweh in the book of Proverbs (cf. 3:17; 4:11; 8:20); it is a refuge for those who walk in it. A similar image, using the same Hebrew word, comes from Psalm 37:39, “The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.”
The Hebrew for “righteous” in this proverb is the same word used in 10:9 for the person of “integrity” (tom) who walks securely, and the “ruin” (meḥittah) of evildoers is the same as that of 10:14–15. “The way” in this proverb creates some overlap between the way as a path for humans to walk and the way of God’s dealings with humans. Both are based on God’s righteousness.
10:30. The metaphor of the land follows the motif of two ways in 2:20–22 and its echoes of the threats in 1:26–32. The wicked are threatened with dispersion as in 10:25, but here the image is of a plant pulled up by its roots (cf. Jer. 1:10). The Hebrew for “forever” (ʿolam) is repeated from Proverbs 10:25 to read, “the righteous are forever, not to be moved.” It is not clear whether the principle is for all landowners or just for the covenant people of Israel. The motif of living in the land is central to Psalm 37 (vv. 22, 27, 29, 34).
10:31. The last two proverbs of chapter 10 deal with the topic of speech. This final proverb pair in the chapter should be read together, since the second lines of both describe misuse of the tongue and mouth as “perverse” (2:12, 14; 6:14; 8:13; 10:31–32; 16:28, 30). Notice also the contrast between the mouth of the righteous and the mouth of the wicked in 10:31a, 32b.
The mouth of the righteous literally “bears the fruit of wisdom” (cf. 12:14; 13:2; 18:20). The image of a tongue cut out of the mouth in 10:31b is gruesome, yet such things were done in the ancient Near East. There may also be a metaphoric nod to the line before, so as to say that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. So Jesus reminds us that we will know false prophets by their fruit since it is from the heart that the mouth speaks (cf. Matt. 7:15–21; Luke 6:43–45). Just as the wicked are removed from the land (Prov. 10:30), so Psalm 37 repeats the picture of the wicked who are “cut off” (Ps. 37:9, 22, 34, 38).
10:32. The word used for “fitting” (raṣon) in Proverbs 10:32 is typically used for favor, particularly the favor of Yahweh (11:1, 20, 27; 12:2, 22; 15:8; 18:22). So Wisdom says, “For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD” (8:35; cf. 3:12, “delights”). Note the contrast of favor and perversity—the latter on the nature of the speech, the former on the response it brings.
This final proverb pair puts the stress on speech that bears fruit of wisdom and knows what is fitting and favorable, just like the pair that closed the last section (10:20–21). The two proverb pairs on proper use of speech frame the outer edges of a chiasm.
B On personal security (10:22–25)
C On laziness (10:26)
B′ On personal security (10:27–30)
A′ On the tongue (10:31–32)34
Highlighting this structure can help us interpret 10:26 as a call to diligence in cultivating wisdom, especially the wisdom of speech that knows how to build up and teach others. Most important, the righteous know how to speak with wisdom (bringing forth its fruit) and how to say what is fitting (“the righteous know favor”). In contrast to the lazy messenger of 10:26, the righteous deliver what is expected.
In sum, in this last section, three proverbs about the gifts of Yahweh—wealth, long life, and refuge—are followed by proverbs about the fate of the wicked, who know no such security. Instead, they are “like chaff that the wind blows away” (Ps. 1:4). More than a collective statement that “you reap what you sow” (cf. Prov. 10:6–21), these sayings point instead to Yahweh’s oversight of human affairs.
Bridging Contexts
OVERVIEW AND EMPHASES. As we have seen in our study of chapter 10 so far, the arrangement of the individual sayings, the “Proverbs of Solomon,” is far from random. Signs of relationship between verses and sections lead us to look for themes that tie larger portions together. So, for example, this chapter begins with the contrast between a wise and lazy son (10:5) and finishes with a picture of a lazy messenger (10:26); the lazy son grieves his parents while the lazy messenger irritates the one who sent him. This placement of the only two proverbs on this theme suggests that we are to pay special attention to them as guides for understanding the chapter. In particular, the repeated images of laziness reinforce Wisdom’s call to diligent study in chapter 9 as they direct that diligence to the practice of wise speech, a theme clustered in 10:6–21 (see vv. 13, 19; also v. 31), and wise conduct, clustered in 10:22–32 (see v. 23).
This first chapter of a new major section (10:1–22:16) extends the themes of chapters 1–9 by placing them in a new setting. Whereas relation to parents was primary, the focus now turns to relation to the community. We might imagine how the young man learns from the wisdom of the community as collected in its proverbs, sayings that both repeat and extend the parents’ teaching. Relationship with Yahweh, one of the main emphases of the parents’ instructions (along with learning and character), is sounded three times in the last part of this chapter.35 We might also say that personified Wisdom has now become a teacher as well. Having made her initial appeals about the worth of her teaching in chapters 1–9, she now makes her instruction known through the collective wisdom of the sayings.
Themes. We begin by identifying major themes and then look to see how they work together. Themes and their key terms are like colors in stage lighting that blend to give light and color to the scene. They are also like photo-mosaic pictures that bring together smaller pictures to make one larger one. The individual proverbs work together like sticks in a bundle or a threefold cord that cannot be broken (Eccl. 4:12). The themes of this chapter form as a series of contrasts:
• laziness versus diligence
• shame versus honor
• poverty versus wealth
• wise speech versus destructive speech
• righteousness versus wickedness
Diligence. Continuing the major motif from chapters 1–9, this chapter asks the question, “What is a wise son?” The sayings of 10:1–5 answer that a wise son pursues righteousness instead of craving and diligence instead of sleep. He is concerned about honor—honor for oneself, but more important, honor for the family, that it not be shamed. In the ancient world, sons were responsible for keeping up the family holdings in order to care for parents in their old age; they could either build up the estate or squander it in the manner of the prodigal son of Luke 15. Economic care for the family, concern for its well-being, is clearly associated with honor and shame.36
It may be hard to appreciate this expectation in our time when most people work for some sort of company instead of the family business. Sons and daughters move away to advance careers, sometimes taking spouse and grandchildren, while parents look forward to retirement, sometimes relocating in pleasant climes far away from their children. Today, parents try to build up their estates with a wish to place “no burden on the children,” but as a result, no one talks about the needs of extended care until those needs are inescapable.37 The principle behind the ancient picture carries over into our day. Wise sons and daughters are diligent workers who provide for themselves but also recognize that they will be called on to care for the needs of their larger families, especially their parents. The teaching of the proverbs is not against mobility but is for loving responsibility.
Honor and shame. In 10:6–21, the portrait of the wise son is developed around the theme of honor and shame. The word “righteousness” is used for the opposite of wicked craving and grasping in 10:2–3. Verses 6 and 7 associate that righteousness with honor; the blessings for the head may be that memory that endures instead of decaying in shame. In ancient times, communities were too small and tightly knit to allow one’s reputation to slide. Today, networks of communication and business relationships allow for one to earn favor with one community by earning dishonor in another. I was shocked to learn that the producer of a reality television show demanded that the cameras be kept rolling as one of the participants writhed in pain from an accident. It was only after the report of the producer’s decision aired on an entertainment news program that I realized that this bad reputation made for “good television” as well. Who cares if the producer is reviled as long as it creates interest and makes the ratings soar? Shame may be in short supply these days, but that scarcity makes it all the more valuable.
Wealth and poverty. A cluster of proverbs in 10:1–22 are gathered around a related theme of wealth and poverty. The wise son gathers grain in summer (v. 5) but also stores up knowledge (v. 14). The surplus of wealth can offer the protection of a fortified city (v. 15), but its value is qualified as terms for wealth are associated with both dishonesty (v. 2) and righteousness (v. 16). Finally, wealth is qualified as it is credited to the blessing of Yahweh (v. 22); it is not a product of hard work and diligence alone. The sages’ view of wealth itself was neutral, but they were also aware that it could present temptations to set wisdom’s humility and fair dealing aside.
In the nineteenth century, preacher Russell Conwell presented his popular motivational talk, “Acres of Diamonds,” six thousand times all across America. Conwell told his hearers that they were like the man who traveled the world to search for diamonds, not knowing that a diamond mine lay buried in his back yard! He added that they should look for a way to get rich as so many other Americans had done. Think of all the good one could do with money! To his credit, Conwell did a lot of good with the money he earned through his speaking, starting the first urban community college (today’s Temple University) and promoting many programs to give the poor an opportunity to earn a living.38
However, “Acres of Diamonds” also appealed to the bootstraps ethic of men like Andrew Carnegie, whose book The Gospel of Wealth39 argued that anyone could make a better life for self and society if one were willing to work. While there may be some truth to his observations, Carnegie failed to mention that his wealth was gained in part by paying unfair wages and crushing strikes and protests with force. As Tom Skinner used to say, “It is hard to lift yourself by the bootstraps when someone keeps cutting the straps.” The proverbs may link wisdom with diligence and wealth, but the sages also knew that it is possible to pervert that truth in a way that brings hardship to others. Diligence in acquiring wealth must be matched by diligence in fair dealing and honest speaking (10:9–11).
Today, preachers can gather an audience by proclaiming a gospel of health and wealth. Their message echoes the themes of wisdom’s call to hard work and prudence, but it errs when it overlooks wisdom’s call to social responsibility. One cannot seek health, wealth, and honor by practicing a personal righteousness that ignores the responsible care for family and community. As we watch the sages’ attitude toward wealth, we will keep in mind that its acquisition and use can reflect either righteousness or its opposite, but not both.
Wise speech and righteousness. Proverbs scattered throughout the chapter show that the wise son knows how to use the gift of communication for the benefit of others. The bad news comes first; chapter 10 introduces the topic with repeated descriptions of speech overwhelmed by violence (vv. 6 and 11) and of chattering lips that come to ruin (vv. 8 and 10). Such talk stirs up discord (v. 12), brings trouble (v. 14), and spreads lies and slander (v. 18); the more words, the more sin (v. 19). By contrast, the mouth of the righteous is a spring of life (v. 11) and a source of wisdom (v. 13), characterized by restraint and propriety (v. 19). Two proverb pairs stress the value of righteous speech: It is choice silver and a source of nourishment to others (vv. 20–21); it bears the fruit of wisdom; it knows what is fitting and favorable (vv. 31–32).
While most of the proverbs on speech are gathered in clusters, especially in groups of four (10:10–14, 18–21), they are also intertwined with proverbs on work and its returns of wealth. The pair at 10:20–21 overlap images of bounty and sharing. Not only is the tongue of the righteous like silver, their lips bring nourishment to others, just as the wise son gathers in summer to provide for himself and his family. Even as goods and wealth are earned to care for others, so wisdom is stored so that it may be shared. As wealth should be shared, so should wisdom be shared in wise speaking. Just as diligence in making a living is rewarded, so is diligence in allowing wisdom to inform one’s words. Taken together, the proverbs gathered here create a mosaic of one who is diligent in caring for others—food enough for family, wisdom to nourish the community.
How is wise speaking beneficial to the community? Truth promotes trust; honesty in speaking shows real concern for the other, while speech that hides hatred only pretends and in time will be revealed for what it is (10:9–10). Wise speaking points to that which promotes life. It lifts up the value of honesty, fair dealing, and peacemaking (10:11–12), teaching by word and example. It also lifts up the values of restraint and propriety, knowing that there are times when it is wise to hold back to avoid the danger of slander or of saying words that will later bring regret (10:18–19). A wise person knows when to spend words and when to save them (10:31–32).
It may be that here is a shift in emphasis from learning wisdom (as laid out in chs. 1–9) to sharing wisdom in the community, primarily through honest speaking and fair dealing but perhaps also through teaching. Just as fathers and mothers teach sons, so here right speaking is a kind of teaching. As we study the proverbs of chapters 10–22, we will watch to see what is added to enrich this picture of wise speaking. For now, we note that these proverbs on wise speaking are introduced by a proverb pair about “blessing” (10:6–7). The blessing appears to be that of the community, who honors the wise son with a good name, one that does not rot.
The wisdom of Jesus. The picture of the wise son reminds Christian readers of Jesus, who as a boy sat in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking questions. Luke’s story is framed with two statements: “The child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40), and “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). The emphasis on relationships with family, community, and God echoes the wisdom themes of this chapter of Proverbs. That Jesus speaks well in the temple and grows up to “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” in the synagogue (Luke 4:19; cf. Isa. 61:2) confirms that this wise son’s words will bring sustenance and life to many (Prov. 10:20–21, 31–32).
While it was probably not Luke’s intention to preserve this story as an example of education in wisdom, it does mark the point at which Jesus demonstrated his growth in wisdom, and the story marks his transition into the life of the adult community. We might say that here, as in Proverbs, family education was supplemented by the teaching of the larger community. In the same way, the course of study that is the book of Proverbs here moves out of parental teaching to the teaching of the community. As readers identify with the figure of the wise son, they see the issues in new and different ways, ways that the instructions of chapters 1–9 do not communicate. These sayings are memorable and cumulative. They stick and gather in the mind to assemble a picture of wise adult living. The chapter sets out its portrait of the wise son as one who knows how to work and speak in the ways that bring the blessing of the community.
Blessing from above. Another concern of the chapter is the blessing from above, as stated in the “LORD” proverbs that are clustered in 10:22–32. Just as diligence in work and in speaking leads to life, so the sages understood that this diligence reflects God’s lordship over life. God’s work in overseeing the actions of the righteous and wicked brings the same life-giving order to the community that hard work and disciplined speech do. The contrasts between the blessings and terrors in 10:22–32 show how Yahweh restores order to a community life that has been disturbed through unrighteous deeds and words. Such a view is central to the wisdom psalms,40 and their perspective will offer help in interpreting these proverbs.
As we have seen, 10:22–32 include three sayings about Yahweh that take a construct or genitive form: “the blessing of the LORD” (v. 22), “the fear of the LORD” (v. 27), and “the way of the LORD” (v. 29). Each describes a choice that a wise son or daughter makes, a choice to seek God and his ways over one’s own. Each of the three sayings expounds the theme of 10:3, Yahweh’s care for the righteous and his frustration of the schemes of the wicked. Nearly all the proverbs that follow predict a bright future for the righteous and an early end to the wicked.
The long view. The bold statements of these proverbs sound like promises that are too good to be true, and for that reason, they seem to assume a readership that knows that life does not always look this way. Readers throughout the centuries have asked whether it is always the case that the righteous are fed and the wicked go hungry (10:3), or whether the wicked experience terrors while the righteous receive their desires (v. 24).
The question is at least as old as the Psalms. Of the wisdom psalms, Psalm 37 stands as an especially pointed response to the apparent prosperity of the wicked. It is striking that the psalm focuses attention on the lived experience and doubts of the observer: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away” (Ps. 37:1–2). “Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil” (37:7–8). The psalm looks ahead, beyond present circumstances, to a future reckoning at the same time that it looks back for assurance: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed” (37:25–26). The psalm is aware that Yahweh’s care and provision are a real hope, yet it is a hope that must be appreciated from the long view that looks to the past and the future.
In addition to the similarities in theme and image, every proverb in 10:22–32 shares some vocabulary with Psalm 37: blessing (Prov. 10:22; Ps. 37:22, 26), wisdom (Prov. 10:23; Ps. 37:30), desire (Prov. 10:24; Ps. 37:4), wicked no more (Prov. 10:25; Ps. 37:10), forever (Prov. 10:25, 30; Ps. 37:28), smoke (Prov. 10:26; Ps. 37:20), perish/come to nothing (ʾbd, Prov. 10:28; Ps. 37:20), refuge (maʿoz, Prov. 10:29; Ps. 37:28 [“stronghold”]), the land (Prov. 10:30; Ps. 37:3, 9, 22, 27, 29, 34), cut off (Prov. 10:31; Ps. 37:9, 22, 28, 34), and mouth of the righteous (Prov. 10:31; Ps. 37:30). While we cannot determine whether this section of Proverbs was modeled after the psalm or vice versa, we can say with confidence that the common images, vocabulary, and theme mark a common intention to affirm God’s righteous rule of the world’s moral order when observers may be inclined to doubt it.
Both texts of Proverbs and Psalms challenge us to affirm that care when present circumstances seem to deny it. J. C. McCann adds that it is unfair to the book of Proverbs to turn the reality of divine retribution into a “religion machine.”41 In such a view,
every event or experience must be understood directly and unambiguously as the reward or punishment of God. If a person is wealthy, for instance, his or her wealth is to be interpreted as a reward from God. And, if a person is poor, then poverty is to be viewed as punishment from God.42
However, Proverbs does not support such a rigid interpretation of life; in fact, proverbs that stress the equality of rich and poor (22:2) argue against it. So does the arrangement of the book of Psalms, placing the confident psalms of retribution (Ps. 1–2) against the loud wail of lament (Ps. 3). Like Job, they understand that suffering is not necessarily a divine punishment, or conversely, that wealth and ease are necessarily signs of favor. Such is the eschatological perspective of wisdom that affirms God’s presence and rule when it is hard to see.
In seeking to apply 10:22–32 to our own day, Christians must avoid mechanistic understandings of God’s moral order and remember that the long view calls them to affirm God’s care even when present circumstances do not appear to show it. The collection of proverbs in chapter 10 encourages the reader to integrate the view from below (i.e., the limited human perspective) with the view from above (i.e., God’s perspective on final outcomes).
The introduction of 10:1–5 presents the view from above and the view from below at the same time. A diligent hand makes wealth (v. 4), but Yahweh makes sure the righteous are fed (v. 3). So 10:6–21 offer the view from below, noting the consequences of wisdom and folly, just as 10:22–32 describe the view from above in which Yahweh blesses the righteous and removes the wicked from the land. The blessing of Yahweh mentioned in 10:22 reminds readers that all efforts to gather the rewards of wisdom are set within God’s sovereign rule. Work makes wealth, but not without the blessing of God. Thus, we arrive at two complementary understandings of blessing: The first is a matter of act and consequence, the second a matter of grace. The blessing of a good reputation is a matter of choice over which one has some control, but the blessing of Yahweh that makes wealth and adds no trouble (in contrast to treasures of wickedness) is beyond human power to determine. Still, that blessing will come to those who chose God’s way.
The sluggard. Finally, what shall we say about the sluggard (10:26), who seems to be neither righteous nor wicked but somewhere in between, a rather laughable figure? His portrait woven throughout Proverbs satirizes him as a man of immense appetite and minuscule ambition. Probably the most memorable picture is the combination of the two characteristics in 19:24 and 26:15: The sluggard buries his hand in the dish but is too lazy to lift it back to his mouth! His appearance early in the collected proverbs provokes curiosity, particularly amidst such serious proverbs about Yahweh’s blessing and the frustrated end of the wicked.
Moreover, this buffoon who sets teeth on edge and makes eyes smart harks back to the one description of the sluggard in 6:9–11,43 which is also tucked away among more serious matters of bad business and adultery. In fact, the sluggard’s portrait in chapter 6 is juxtaposed to that of the wicked, who communicates evil, is overtaken by disaster (6:12–15), and angers Yahweh (6:16–19)—just as in chapter 10, where the sluggard (10:26) is juxtaposed with the wicked who use speech to stir up dissension (10:10–12, 18–19) and anger Yahweh (10:22–32).
We might then rephrase our question to ask: How are we to understand the relationship between the wicked and the sluggard? Put another way, why did the sages decide to put this proverb about the sluggardly messenger smack in the middle of all this winnowing of righteous and wicked? We observed earlier that the proverb about the poor fit of messenger and sender does not fit its context, but perhaps it fits better than we first realized. The wicked are easy to spot, and perhaps their way is easy to avoid. But the way of the sluggard, now there is a danger! We can be lazy in failing to learn wisdom and practice disciplined speaking. If this warning against sloth in learning wisdom is the intended message, then the juxtaposition of sluggards among the wicked is meant to jolt the reader into awareness, as is the humor of incongruity set among the serious tone of the contrasts. As we saw in chapter 1, it is possible to walk by active and obvious wickedness and say, “No problem here,” only to find that there are other more insidious forms that will catch us unaware.
Therefore, the sluggard not only warns us against a way of life that will eventually bring displeasure to others, it also uses the humor of incongruity to draw a larger lesson about diligence in cultivating our own life of wisdom and faith. Because it does not seem to fit, it attracts our attention and highlights the problem of the lazy son we first observed in 10:5. It comes at the center of a concentric structure about final ends and the importance of wise speaking that nourishes others. Laziness in this area can slip by just because it is so sneaky; it does not fit the pattern, and it is more funny than terrifying. But it is dangerous, and perhaps this is why the proverbs use humor to catch us off guard, the way Shakespeare used his wise fool to speak truth to King Lear. It is also striking that the two proverbs about laziness in 10:5 and 26 are set in proximity to sayings about Yahweh’s care and justice. Perhaps this is another way of setting the seriousness of sin alongside the humorous folly of the sluggard in order to jolt us into awareness.44
To zoom in on one aspect of sluggardly behavior, we see that laziness in speech is especially dangerous when we realize that we can say things that we shouldn’t or fail to speak when we should. I keep a Sumerian proverb posted by my desk that says, “The one who knows but does not speak is a fool.” While it is true that the one who speaks and does not know is also a fool, I find I am more challenged by the need to speak out when the needs and rights of others are at stake. In that way, my speech can begin to nourish others. The last two verses of chapter 10 reinforce the themes of wisdom and right speaking. Our speech either helps and nourishes others, or it leads to our own downfall!
Contemporary Significance
ON CHILDREN GROWING up. The image of the wise son that frames the first section of this chapter resonates with the concern that parents have for their children today, even while circumstances are vastly different. Whereas in ancient times, almost all males grew up to work for the family business, today it is more typical for young men and women to work for a company with little connection to the family. Although the home schooling movement is growing, education for most children now takes place outside the home and is extended into teenage and young adult years.
This extended period of adolescence and delay of adult responsibilities can leave both parents and kids confused, each not knowing what to expect of the other. Parents joke among themselves and get knowing smiles. I heard one say, “My teenager thinks his job is to lounge in his room and my job is to come home with food.” One Baby Boom comedian asked, “Can it be possible that our kids are even lazier than we were?” and went on to present the details of the case to a laughing audience. The humor arises from hearing ourselves say things that our parents said to us about the conveniences they never had and the hard work they had to do. We are also surprised that we have grown up to value diligence and productivity over spontaneity and fun.
The proverbs on the wise son encourage parents to teach and model the value of diligence and righteousness for their sons and daughters. If we fail in this, we fall short of our duty as parents and as a church. However, we would make a mistake if we take these texts as proof that our kids need a kick in the pants and in so doing, only give them a message of rejection. The goal for our kids is growth in wisdom as the fountain source of all the virtues, including diligence. That being the case, we can be patient with our kids when we watch their ups and downs in making the transition from dependent children to responsible adults. We can expect that these lessons will not be learned right away, but take time.
At the same time, we must prepare our kids to take on adult responsibilities and hold them accountable when they do not. Oprah Winfrey’s talk show is an interesting indicator of trends in society. On one program she brought in a psychologist to talk tough love to grown children who were living at home as if they were still teenagers, paying no rent and sponging. While some counseling might be appropriate to get at the apparent lack of motivation, his simple message of taking adult responsibility made good sense. One young man was camped out with cable TV in his mother’s dining room and tried to use charm and humor to defuse her exasperation, saying he was in a time of transition and will find his life’s direction in due time. The psychologist told him, “You don’t need to find yourself; you need to find yourself a job.”
Mentoring youth. An adult who lives like a dependent child is inappropriate and shameful, but we should not use these proverbs to club our kids. A youth worker told me of one young man who slept all the time because his body was in a growth spurt. Other adolescents may show a lack of motivation because they are truly confused about making their way into adult life. Another youth worker said, “For twenty-two years I have worked with and counseled teenagers and their families, and I can honestly say that I have never seen such a tidal wave of hopelessness as has hit this generation. As I talk with teenagers today, there is a sense of despair and disillusionment. The world makes no sense to them.” He recommends making a difference with unconditional love: “When I was a child, I needed love most when I deserved it least. I’ve heard it said, ‘Teenagers are the most unlovable when they need the most love.’ ”45
In sum, the wise and foolish sons in this passage succeed or fail to take on adult responsibilities, and for that reason it is not appropriate to use this text to criticize teenage laziness. Nevertheless, one can see that patterns are developed in youth that extend into adulthood. Parents encourage industry or sloth by either challenging or enabling. The biblical principle at issue in 10:1–5 is growth in wisdom that shows itself in shouldering adult responsibility, including care for one’s family, and by extension, one’s community. The joy of the parents in 10:1 can provide some guidelines for encouraging that growth in our children. The opposite of shame is pride, and parents can certainly foster character and behavior that brings pride by expressing it to them.
One way to apply the emphasis on joy (10:1) and honor (10:5) is to tell our kids when they have done us proud. Once, at home on college break, I was walking out of the kitchen to head for some activity that I don’t remember, but I do remember my father looking across the table and saying, “Hey! I’m proud of you.” There is a sense in which the positive message can also be communicated via the negative. One pastor told his teenager, “For better or worse, what you do reflects on me.” Another said, “Tell me, what’s your last name? Don’t let them say, ‘What kind of clown is his father?’ ”
A university professor who had been invited to speak at a conference was asked to send a resumé. Instead, he sent a list of all his students who had gone on to teach in his field with a note attached: “Everything important I’ve ever done is there.” The principle of bringing joy to others who have taught us extends to the work of the church as well. Just as I hope I’m making my parents proud of me, so I want to honor those who taught and nurtured me in the Christian life. In the same way, I hope to receive honor through the successes and contributions of those I teach and mentor. The images of wisdom instruction in the home point to the larger chain of disciple-making by which we reproduce ourselves in the faithful lives of others.
It is good for us to remember that we have been mentored and can do the same for younger believers, and this may even help us put into perspective our thoughts about our own accomplishments. We may look with envy at those who go on to have great influence and notoriety in their ministries and view our own contributions as small. Yet those who reach high stand on the shoulders of those who taught them, and who knows who will stand on ours and what they will do? We may take encouragement that our faithfulness in teaching can live on long after us. One wonders if those teachers in the temple knew what they were doing when they were answering the questions of Joseph and Mary’s wise son.
Wise speaking and wise living. The wise son of his parents grows up to become a wise son of the community, and the collected proverbs of 10:6–21 sketch a portrait of one who receives its blessings in life and death (vv. 6–7). The sayings contrast actions that either build or damage relationships of trust with neighbors. They frequently point to speaking body parts (the lips, tongue, and mouth) as well as their source, the heart, which is either teachable or worthless (vv. 8, 20). This picture of a responsible and compassionate member of the community moves us to take stock of our own participation in the life of church and society, particularly in the matter of wise speaking.
Recalling Luke’s picture of Jesus the wise son who grows up to read and speak in the congregation, we note that his speech and his actions show concern for the well-being of the poor. Our understanding of Jesus’ ministry is enriched when we understand the story of his life and teaching as instructive and redemptive, a source of good news in our preaching, just as weighty as his death and resurrection. Craig Loscalzo is concerned that our desire to preach the redemptive message of the cross and atonement may pass by the good news of Jesus’ teaching and healing that makes up the greater portion of the Gospels. He writes, “Living within the province of God means learning how to be effective faithful citizens; we thrive on both kerygma and didache. The gospel makes foreigners into citizens and helps citizens remember the purpose of their citizenship.”46 This portrait of the wise son of the community helps us appreciate the life of Jesus as example of kingdom citizenship.
How is Jesus’ life an example of wise living for us? We first notice that his words nourish many as they bring forth wisdom (cf. 10:21, 31). While we remember that the primary context of Proverbs is honest speaking and dealing in daily working relationships, we might also ask if some sense of teaching wisdom by practicing wise speech is in view also. Not all are called to become teachers of wisdom, but all can instruct through the practice of wise speaking, even as Jesus did. Many of the texts that we preach in sermons began as conversations between Jesus and tax collectors, adulterers, Pharisees, and disciples. Sometimes the outcome of these conversations was confrontation and sometimes the granting of forgiveness; in every case, the words became examples of wisdom and love. When Zacchaeus promised to give half of his riches to the poor and pay back anyone he had cheated four times over, Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Zacchaeus had spoken wisely also.
Wise sons and daughters of their communities take their relationships seriously, recognizing that they are not independent persons. Their words are concerned with the profit to the other person more than the profit for themselves. Perhaps this is one reason why wise speaking is contrasted with violence and ill-gotten treasures. The speech of the wise is like gathering crops and sharing the wealth. Comparing the tongue of the righteous with choice silver forces us to ask what do we really count as worthwhile.
Borrowing Daniel Boorstein’s conception of “consumption communities” to describe the pseudo-communities that join together around brand-name loyalty and contemporary visions of the good life, Quentin Schultze points out that mediated communication of films, television, radio, and magazines have replaced older community traditions. Schultze argues that these communities of consumption identify us primarily as people who buy and use consumer goods, to find identity in what we buy instead of how we use our resources for the kingdom of God. “Our gifts, talents and possessions should foster deeper communities of shalom.”47 Wise speaking values relationships of shalom over the competition and loneliness of consumption.
Wise speaking is concerned with its more immediate effects on others. The sages who collected these proverbs saw violence as an outcome of greedy desire for gain; they may have been surprised to learn that we also think of hurtful words as a form of violence. Still, they saw equal wrong in spreading slander and covering hatred with lies (10:18). The popular proverb, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” is a defense that shows how badly words can hurt. One seminary student shared with her classmates:
Every week I help at a children’s program at a nearby church. We play games, have snacks, make crafts and talk about God. And, nearly every week, without fail, someone ends up in tears. I have spent more than a few afternoons drying tears and speaking soothing words. But, you see, the sad thing is that these tears are not from falls or bruises. They bounce back easily from those. The tears come from mean words said by other kids.48
What is true for kids is true of adults as well. Followers of Jesus practice wise speaking when they resist temptations to profit and power over others, speaking only that which nourishes and restores.
Praise and hope. The teaching of the chapter does not center on human relationships alone. The collection of Yahweh proverbs scattered throughout 10:22–32 inspires Christian readers to praise and hope. Praise celebrates the diligent God, who does not slumber like the foolish and careless son but rather watches to make sure that the righteous do not go hungry and that wicked grasping is frustrated (10:5). This God is the source of wisdom’s benefits, wealth without trouble, long life, and refuge (10:22, 27, 29). We praise Yahweh who does not let evil go unchecked, even when circumstances may lead us to think otherwise. Hope comes to Christian readers as they hear that wicked deeds and those who do them will come to an end, while the righteous have a future (10:25, 30). Hope comes about from taking the long view that this collection of sayings offers; it hears the questions of doubt and answers them instead of dismissing them.
Reading these proverbs along with wisdom psalms in services of worship is itself a form of praise and an expression of hope, for it assumes that God is present and watching, even at those times when God appears absent. This form of praise is akin to praying psalms of lament that nearly always point ahead to the time when believers will praise.49 They assume that God hears, even as psalmists ask if they have been abandoned. We may shy away from taking the words of lament on our lips in worship, for it can seem as though we are doubting God’s goodness to us. However, prayer is a sure sign of faith, for it refuses to walk away from God even when it asks whether God ever walks away from us. In a similar way, these proverbs not only inspire our faith, they give us permission to voice our doubts and questions. Reading the proverbs along with wisdom psalms allows them to speak to the congregation at the same time that they are potentially addressed to God.50
A final word. Finally, as we take the proverb about vinegar and smoke to heart (v. 26), we recall that laziness in those who should be caring for others as responsible adults is particularly shameful. We also saw that the chiastic structure of 10:20–32, framing the sluggard saying with teaching on speech and God’s watchfulness, suggests that the one who sends messengers is the Lord. After all, the Yahweh proverbs all appear in the vicinity of proverbs about laziness! Further, the image of laziness that brings stinging pain to the eyes and teeth of another echoes the combined sense of the chiasm in 10:1–5, that a son’s laziness brings grief and shame to his parents. The larger context of the chapter, then, indicates that the saying about sluggards teaches that diligence with speech—that is, becoming a wise one who labors hard to nourish others—is the goal of wisdom instruction. To become a person who speaks wisely and teaches others to do the same is to honor our parents, communities, and God.
It is significant, then, that at this turning point in the book of Proverbs, we observe a shift in emphasis. Whereas in chapters 1–9, the parents urge their son to get wisdom, here the collected wisdom of the community adds a call to give wisdom in the form of speech that nourishes others (10:21). As the son grows to take his place in the community as a responsible adult, he is to learn that care for others involves stewardship of the gifts of material resources and communication. Both require diligence and oversight. Just as humans need water and food to live, so life together requires speech that nourishes many as a spring of life and bears the fruit of wisdom. Proverbs would make teachers of us all!