Solomon’s Sayings I

Friday, June 3, 2022

The Wise Sayings of Solomon

An Honest Life Is Immortal

10 Wise son, glad father;

    stupid son, sad mother.

2 Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere;

    an honest life is immortal.

3 God won’t starve an honest soul,

    but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.

4 Sloth makes you poor;

    diligence brings wealth.

5 Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart;

    go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid.

6 Blessings accrue on a good and honest life,

    but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

7 A good and honest life is a blessed memorial;

    a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

8 A wise heart takes orders;

    an empty head will come unglued.

9 Honesty lives confident and carefree,

    but Shifty is sure to be exposed.

10 An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead,

    but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.

-Proverbs 10:1-10 The Message

The Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father,

    but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,

    but righteousness delivers from death.

3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,

    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

4 A slack hand causes poverty,

    but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,

    but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

    but the name of the wicked will rot.

8 The wise of heart will receive commandments,

    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

    but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,

    and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

Verse 2 study: People bring illness on themselves because of the ill-gotten treasures. For instance, craving satisfaction, they may do something that destroys their chances of achieving happiness. On the other hand, God’s principles for living right bring lasting happiness because they guide us to correct long-term behavior despite our ever-changing feelings.

Verse 3 study: The book of Proverbs is full of contrasts between the righteous and the wicked. But the statements made are not intended to apply universally to all people in all situations. For instance, some good people do go hungry. So, instead of planning to communicate the general truth that the life of the person who seeks God is better in the long run than the life of a wicked person, a life leading to ruin. These statements are truths, not promises. A proverb like this assumes a just government that cares for the poor or the needy, the kind of government Israel wanted to have. A correct government often thwarts the plans of righteous men and women.

17 “You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge, 18 but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.

-Deuteronomy 24:17-22 ESV

Verses 4-5 studies: Unless you live in a state with a time change, every day has 24 hours for growth, serving, and productivity. But it is easy to waste time and let it slip from us. So don’t be a lazy person, sleeping or frittering away the hours meant for productive work. Instead, look at time as God’s gift and seize your opportunities to live from him faithfully.