From ch. X begins “Proverbs of Solomon” (Proverbs 10.1) about the nature of the general content, the purpose and purpose of which was said at the beginning of the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1.2-6). If in ch. I-IX, the development of thought about the meaning of wisdom went on in successive and coherent periods, then from Ch. X through XXIX, inclusive, there are a number of inflowing sayings of heterogeneous content, so that almost every verse is an independent whole, a separate parable that has no visible connection with either the previous or the next. In terms of their content, these inflow sayings refer to all kinds of relationships and living conditions. Before the reader's eyes, in the human diversity characteristic of life, they pass in pairs: rich and poor, wise and stupid, diligent and lazy, pious and wicked, father and son, husband and wife, lord and slave, king and subject and so on. Relating each to separate phenomena of life, all the parables in aggregate, however, express an integral view of life, a complete worldview of priest. writer. In the form of their parable, these form two lines, both parts of which are usually found in relation to the opposite (in Ch. X-XV) - exclusively or represent the so-called antithetical parallelism, in which one hemistich expresses the opposite side of the truth expressed in the other (see, for example. , back in Ps 2.6; Eccl 2.14).
Proverbs 10: 1. Proverbs of Solomon. A wise son pleases his father, and a stupid son is a grief for his mother .:
This is precisely the form that this first verse already has, which obviously has a relation to the entire subsequent collection of parables. A particular connotation of thought in the opposition of father and mother: the sadness of an unsuccessful son is especially deeply perceived by the mother's heart (cf. Proverbs 1.8: 15.20, 17.25).
Proverbs 10: 2 The treasures of the unrighteous are not profitable, but righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 10: 3 The Lord will not allow the soul of the righteous to suffer hunger, but the gain of the wicked will pluck out.
Proverbs 10: 4 A lazy hand makes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
Proverbs 10: 5 He that gatherers in the summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in the harvest is a dissolute son.
Proverbs 10: 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked will be blocked by violence.
Proverbs 10: 7 The memory of the righteous will be blessed, but the name of the wicked will be abhorrent.
For all the heterogeneity of the content of these six verses, they are somewhat united by the common thought of all of them about the unequal earthly lot of the righteous and the wicked, the rational and the unreasonable, the diligent and the lazy. “Life and death” (v. 2) is a typical designation of the good and misfortune of life, which runs throughout the book of Proverbs. - “Treasures of the unrighteous” - acquired by untruth, lawlessness, “do not bring benefit” - are powerless to save from death, as well as from any mortal calamity. One "truth" will save us from this (Heb. tzedaka), that is, the correctness of all the intentions and actions of a person, the active implementation of "wisdom", chokmah (according to the traditional Jewish interpretation, tzedakathat saves from death is charity). The thought of Art. 2 is repeated almost word for word in Proverbs 11.4. In Art. 3 contrasts, firstly, the "soul" of the righteous, that is, the normal, balanced mental state (according to LXX ψυχὴ δικαία) of the righteous - and the "acquisition" or greed (Heb. gavva, cf. Mich 3.7; according to LXX ζωὴ, life, in the sense of means of life) of the wicked; and, secondly, the opposite fate of one and the other: the Lord does not allow the righteous to starve (cf. Ps 32.19: 36.25), on the contrary, the evil and lustful desires of the wicked do not come true, especially since they are often directed towards the evil of others. Then, in Art. 4-5, the idea is expressed that well-being or material scarcity is dependent on one's own energy or, on the contrary, inaction, as deviations from the universal law of labor (Gen. 3.19). In the Vulgate to st. 4 added: qui nititur mendaciis, hic pascit ventos idem autem ipse sequitur aves volantes. LXX have an increase in art. 5, readable in Slavic. The Bible reads as follows: “a wise son will be saved from the heat, but a wicked son is windy in the harvest”, that is, a wise one, due to the timely harvest of grain, does not suffer harm from the sultry wind, while an unreasonable and disorderly person misses the harvest time, and overripe bread heat and wind devastate in ears; general, here as in whole Art. 4–5, the idea is expressed about the need for prudent use of time for success in everyday and spiritual affairs. Art. 6-7 speak of the good name, the spotless reputation of the righteous and - the dishonor and destruction of the name of the wicked, both during their life (v. 6) and after the death of both (v. 7) (cf. Ps. 111.6; Sir 44.13; sn. Mt 26.13).
Proverbs 10: 8. The wise in heart accepts the commandments, but the foolish with his lips stumbles.
Proverbs 10: 9. He who walks in integrity walks safely; but whoever changes his ways will be punished.
Proverbs 10:10. He who blinks his eyes causes vexation, but the stupid mouth will stumble.
Contrasted in the nature and consequences of the actions of the wise and the wicked in relation to the teachings of wisdom (v. 8), in behavior or life path, the opposite of one and the other (v. 9), and in the very manner of speech - deceitful and crooked with the wicked, and direct, albeit harsh, with the righteous (v. 10). The latter thought is expressed more vividly than in the Hebrew text in Greek. the translation of the LXX of the second half of Art. 10: ὁ δὲ ᾿ελέγχων μετὰ παρρησίας είρηνοποιεῖ; Slav .: "Convict with boldness, peacefully."
Prov. 10:11. The lips of the righteous are the source of life, but the lips of the wicked will be blocked by violence.
Prov. 10:12. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.
Prov. 10:13. There is wisdom in the mouth of a rational person, but on the body of a fool there is a rod.
Prov. 10:14. The wise preserve knowledge, but the mouth of a fool is near destruction.
The portrayal of good and evil, wise and stupid continues in relation to their treatment of neighbors and influence on them, mainly from the side of speech or the ability and manner to use the word. If, in general, human speech is compared with the waves and streams of waters (Proverbs 18.4: 20.5), then the speech of the righteous - by its directness and edification - is called here (v. 11) the source of life, while from the mouth of the wicked comes only violence. It is the hatred that fills it that contributes to this violence and its harmful influence on society. On the contrary, “love covers all sins” (v. 12, cf. 1 Pet 4.8; James 5.20; 1 Corinthians 13.4), that is, it condescends to the mistakes of a neighbor, does not spread bad rumors about him (cf. Proverbs 17.9), generally assists in every way the world. In Art. 13-14 a new opposition between the wise and the foolish: the first is receptive to the simple instruction of wisdom, the second requires physical influence (v. 13); the first, having comprehended the truth, is in no hurry to communicate it to everyone and everyone, on the contrary, he is careful in his speech, in accordance with the degree of receptivity of the listeners; the fool, on the other hand, is talkative - to his own destruction (v. 14).
Prov. 10:15. The wealth of the rich is his strong city, the misfortune for the poor is their poverty.
Proverbs 10:16. The works of the righteous lead to life, the success of the wicked leads to sin.
Proverbs 10:17. He who keeps instruction is on the path to life; but he who rejects conviction wanders.
Proverbs 10:18. He who conceals hatred has a lying mouth; and he who divulges slander is stupid.
Proverbs 10:19. With many words, sin cannot be avoided, but he who restrains his mouth is reasonable.
Proverbs 10:20. Selected silver is the tongue of the righteous, but the heart of the wicked is worthless.
Proverbs 10:21. The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die from lack of reason.
These seven verses speak mainly of earthly goods, their value and the way they are acquired and used. The uplifting well-being and arrogance of a person, the significance of wealth, and the belittling effect of poverty on a person (v. 15) is a fact of experience. The wise with this dictum warns - the rich from the arrogance generated by wealth, and the poor from laziness, leading to poverty and misery. Moreover, both wealth and poverty are considered mainly from a moral point of view: wealth, it is assumed, must be acquired life wisdom and by means of morally irreproachable and in turn should be used for deeds of wisdom, love and piety; on the contrary, poverty resulting from laziness and other vices can in turn lead to new vices. That the Wise considers wealth and poverty primarily from a moral point of view, is shown in the next verse - 16th, which directly says that only the gains of the righteous are lasting, but the gains of the wicked lead to sin - as well as v. 17th, where the moralizing direction and content of speech already emerges with all the certainty: it speaks of the salvation of keeping the teaching of wisdom and of the fatality of neglecting reproof (cf. and others (Mt 15:14). In the following Art. 18-21 speaks mainly of the correct, salvific and wrong, disastrous use of the gift of speech: slanderous speech against one's neighbor is condemned (v. 18), in general idle talk, which inevitably leads to sin (v. 19, cf. Proverbs 13.3: 21.23; Eccl. 10.14; Sire 20.7: 22.31, 28.25; Matthew 12.35), boasts, on the contrary, the thoughtful word of the righteous (20a) as edifying for many (21a), in contrast to the empty, meaningless word of the wicked (20b, 21b.)
Proverbs 10:22. The blessing of the Lord - it enriches and does not bring sorrow with itself.
Proverbs 10:23. For a stupid criminal act, as it were, fun, but a rational person has wisdom.
Proverbs 10:24. Whatever the wicked fears, then he will overtake him, and the desire of the righteous will be fulfilled.
Proverbs 10:25. As a whirlwind rushes, there is no more wicked one; but the righteous one has an eternal foundation.
Accordingly, the unequal mood of the insane wicked and the wise - the righteous (v. 23), the external fate of both is not the same: the righteous man argues, everything is given to him without labor, worries and anxiety, since the blessing of God rests on his life and deeds (v. 22, fn. Ps 126.2 f.), His every desire is fulfilled (v. 24b); on the contrary, the lot of the wicked is eternal fear for his well-being (v. 24a, sn. Is 66.4; Job 3.25), and its end is sudden and complete destruction, with the complete steadfastness of the righteous (v. 25; sn. Proverbs 1.27; Job 1.19) ...
Prov. 10:26. As vinegar is to the teeth and smoke is to the eyes, so is lazy to those who send it.
In this verse, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe dangers of laziness is expressed, standing apart here, (cf. Proverbs 6.6 pp .; Proverbs 12.27: 19.24).
Proverbs 10:27. The fear of the Lord adds days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.
Prov. 10:28. The expectation of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.
Prov. 10:29. The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the blameless, and fear for those who work iniquity.
Proverbs 10:30. The righteous will never be shaken, and the wicked will not live on the earth.
The thoughts expressed more than once about the different to the opposite lot of the righteous and the wicked (cf. Proverbs 3.2: 9.11; sn. Job 8.13; Ps 109.6).
Proverbs 10:31. The lips of the righteous exude wisdom, and the tongue of the evil will be cut off.
Proverbs 10:32. The lips of the righteous know what is favorable, but the lips of the wicked know what is perverse.
Of the lips of the righteous and the wicked, and their fruits.
1-6. Introduction to the book: the writer of her; purpose, general content and main character of the book. 7. The basic principle of the wisdom of piety. 8-9. About the authority of parents in teaching piety - wisdom. 10-19. A warning against the temptations of the wicked. 20-23. An exhortatory and accusatory sermon on wisdom.
1 The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
1. Verses one and subsequent, according to the 6th art. inclusive, form the inscription of the book of Proverbs. Solomon's name in v. 1, denotes the closest compiler of the first nine chapters of the book, but, as we have already said, metonymically and the whole book can be called the work of Solomon. The midrash jalkut to Proverbs (§ 929) draws attention to the capitalization of the first letter of the verse ( meme), and based on numerical value of this letter - 40, sees here an indication that Solomon, asking God for wisdom (1 Kings III: 9), fasted, like Moses on the mountain of legislation (Ex. XXXIV: 28), forty days (Midrasch Mischle ubertr v. A. Wunsche. S. 1); it expresses the view of the Jewish tradition on wisdom and, in general, the entire content of the book of Proverbs as an interpretation of the Torah or the Law of Moses. - Regarding word production and the meaning of the Slavic-Russian name "Parable", it should be noted that it is usually produced from the root flow (go) or poke (to meet) in both cases, according to the expression of St. Basil the Great, it means a confused (resp.Greek paroimia \u003d para oimoV) saying, that is, one that serves as an indicator of the path, guides a person on the path of life, giving him means for a safe flow along these paths. The meaning of the name "Parable" of Sts. Athanasius the Great and John: "The name of Proverbs" (paramoi) came from the fact that such sayings were written on every path for the instruction and edification of those passing along the path, they were written on the way so that people who could not deal with the word of truth, at least , in passing, noticed what was written, delved into it, received instructions. Therefore, some define them as follows: Proverbs are roadside (parodion) a saying that transfers thought from one thing to many. IN last words one of the main features of the parable is indicated: the applicability of the thought expressed in the parable to many (analogous) cases, the typicality of this thought. In another opinion, the Russian-Slavic "parable" comes from Ch. "to butt", "to grind" (for example, when weaving - at the end of the strip with threads of different colors) - in this case, the name will indicate a decorating, figurative external way of expressing thoughts in parables. The inner and outer character of the parables that make up the content of the book of this name is made clear in the following verses, v. 2-6, clarifying the meaning and significance of the parables, and together the purpose and purpose of the book itself.
2 to know wisdom and instruction, to understand the sayings of reason;
2-6. Both the purpose of this collection of parables, the book of Proverbs, and the property different types a parable, which together concisely defines the whole content of the entire book. And above all, parables give knowledge wisdom and teachings (Art.2a). "Since the pagans (Greeks) claim that they have wisdom, and heretics think that they have knowledge, Solomon shows what true wisdom and true knowledge are, so that someone, carried away by the similar name of wisdom, does not fall into the wisdom of the pagans and heretics. " Hearing his divine sayings, every wise man will be even wiser (Holy Athan. Great and John. Zlat.). Wisdom, Heb. chokmah (LXX: sofia, Vulg.: Sapientia), according to the philological composition of the Hebrew word, means (according to Schultens "y): soliditas, firmness, solidity (proper condensation, puknothV), then the higher understanding of life and things in their being, finally, the ability to arrange one's life in accordance with this knowledge, to normally determine one's relationship to God and one's neighbor and through that to obtain the happiness of life. Obviously, "wisdom" is broader than all the following concepts and includes them in its scope. The practical side of "wisdom" is "teaching" or " instruction ", slav. - punishment, Heb. - musar, LXX: paideia, Vulg. : disciplina - the whole system of educational measures, not excluding punitive ones.
According to the midrash, "wisdom" ( chokmah) and "teaching" ( musar) are inextricably linked with each other, and the second is a consequence of the first. The book of Proverbs, further, contains understanding of words or sayings wisdom Heb. bin, LXX: dronhsiV, Vulg. : prudentia (Heb. bin by its radical meaning, it includes the moment distinguishing - for example, between good and evil (3 Kings III: 9), wisdom and stupidity, higher and lower, useful and harmful), i.e. (according to St. Athan. Great and John. Zlat.) "the acquisition of knowledge about the one true God. " As for the pagans, some of them called the substance god, while others likened it to idols; are also deluded heretics about the true God. It is against them that Solomon expounds the true concept of God, speaks of His ineffability (XXV: 2); about fishing (XV: 3-21, XXII: 2; XXIII: 13); about justice (XV: 8-25), about the creation of the world he speaks not simply, but asserts that the Lord created everything with His Word and wisdom (III: 19; VIII: 26-27, 30), since the property of the true God is above all, that He is the Father of the Son. In Art. 3 indicates the first fruits of "wisdom" and "teaching": both contribute to the assimilation of the "rules of prudence" (Heb. musar Gasquel), justice (more precisely - truth, zedek), ships ( mishpat) and rightness (honesty, mess), Vulg. : ad suscipiendam eruditionem doctrinae, justitiam et judicium et aequitatem. LXX otherwise transmit the first half of Art. 3rd: dexaqsai strofaV logwn, and according to other lists (codd. 68, 109, 147, 157, 161, 248) from Holmes, Set. Ald, more +: kai luseiV ainigmatwn. In glory. Ostrog and Elisabeth Bible, according to the last addition, the entire first half of 3 tbsp. reads: accept the twisting of words and the permission of fortune-telling. Convolution of words, explain Sts. Afan. Conducted. and I. Zlat., the essence of "such sayings in which we open the hidden meaning in them, rotating the mind, or examining them by thinking (eg. X: 5, XXVII: 25)". Thus, parables refine the mind of a person, make him resourceful, capable of guessing the meaning of mysterious speeches.
3
to learn the rules of prudence, justice, judgment and righteousness;
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simple to give intelligence, to a young man - knowledge and prudence;
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the wise will listen - and will increase knowledge, and the reasonable will find wise advice;
4-5. Specified in Art. 3 the meaning of parables is primarily for young people, but then for adults, experienced and wise people. The first parables give "intelligence," Heb. orma, own. guile (Gen. III: 1), like the Greek. panourgia, lat. astutia; here in a good sense (cf. VIII: 5, 12; XIII: 16; XIV: 15; XXII: 3) - prudence or prudence, in order to avoid the nets of the cunning and malicious (cf. Mt X: 16), - and also in general knowledge and discretion (Heb. daat uzimma, LXX: aioqhsin k. engoian, Vulg. : scientiam el intellectum). But parables, as ready-made rules of worldly and spiritual wisdom, are also useful for mature and wise people: the wise listening to these parables becomes even wiser, and the reasonable acquires the "art of government" (special state, sn. XI: 14), Heb. takhbulot... LXX: kuberughsiV (ship control). Vulg. : gubernacula, slav. : construction, that is, in general, an art or skill for the improvement of life (sn. XX: 18; XXIV: 6). In Art. 6 says that the rational with the help of parables will not only be able to improve his life (religious, moral family and social), but he will also learn to understand intricate and mysterious speeches, Heb. melitsa vehidot, LXX: skoteinwn logon k. ainigmata. Apparently, such special parables of a mysterious nature are meant here, which are especially the case in Ch. XXX. The ancients, especially the inhabitants of the East, appreciated the art of proposing and guessing riddles (cf. Judgment XIV: 12-19). The Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem from a distant country to test Solomon with riddles and learn the wisdom of Solomon contained in them (1 Kings X: 1). However, in view of the fact that in the considered Art. 6 the expression "intricate speech" ( mill) and "riddle" ( hida) are compared with more general expressions "parable" ( waving) and "words of the wise" ( dibre hakamim), one might think (Sts. Athan. Great. and I. Zlat.) that in Art. 6 means "not cunning words, deceiving with the appearance of plausibility, but accurate, as if known by the speakers themselves and expressing, as it were, the sentences pronounced by them" (eg, XV: 13-14). As a rule, people determine deeds by consequences, while the wise discovers the reasons for actions so that a person, knowing the causes of evil, is wary of them, and represents, as it were brief outline movements of the soul (for example, X: 12; XIII: 4; XIV: 11) "... If you examine each utterance of the book, you will find that it is said and written so that the listeners, knowing the causes of evil and good, avoid evil, and did good. " The Midrash sees in the whole verse an indication of the Torah.
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to understand the parable and intricate speech, the words of the wise men and their riddles.
7 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; [good understanding among all who are led by him; and reverence for God is the beginning of understanding;] fools only despise wisdom and instruction.
7. Does not apply to the inscription (as Ewald, Philippson, Berto, Keil, and others thought), but begins with itself already the first part of the book up to and including the ninth chapter. In glory. Russian In the Bible, the middle of the verse (in Russian synod. Transl. Enclosed in brackets) is read only in LXX and represents a borrowing from Ps CX: 10, although this addition fits well with the content of the verse according to Hebrews. and Vulg., serving as an explanation of its meaning.
The first words of Art. 7 have the meaning of the epigraph or theme of the entire book, mainly the first part of it (chap. I-IX). The fear of God, the awe of God, is inseparable from the very concept of reverence and piety; it was the fear of God that was laid in the foundation of Jehovah's covenant with Israel (Deut IV: 10). The fear of God is, at the same time, the beginning of true knowledge and true wisdom - in the sense that in the chain of knowledge necessary for the acquisition of wisdom, worship of God should take the first initial place, that it should be the main and priority subject of knowledge, as well as in the sense that piety - a constant reverent attitude towards God - must be the dominant spiritual attitude in the seeker of wisdom. In his striving for the acquisition of wisdom, he must be imbued with the conviction that wisdom in the strict sense belongs to God alone, that He is the source of wisdom (II: 6 ch. James I: 5 ff.), That without the light of His revelation, the human mind would always wander in the darkness of ignorance and delusion about the main truths (cf. 1 Cor. I: 20). From this conviction arises for the seeker of wisdom the duty to seek the blessing of God for his labors to acquire knowledge, to serve with these labors the glory of God and the benefit of his neighbors, to perform this service with a reverent fear of angering the Lord with false wisdom, and to thank for successes in wisdom ( ep. Vissarion... Interpretation on Parimia II, p. 9-10). And wisdom and piety reject, to their destruction, wicked people whose wickedness darkens their common sense (cf. Jer IV: 22). The book of Proverbs is by no means intended for them, and if the ungodliness - the madness of such people is often spoken of in it, then this is done with the aim of admonishing the reasonable and pious, since the fear of God (and wisdom), on the other hand, is hatred of unrighteousness and sin (cf. VIII: 13).
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Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and do not reject your mother's covenant,
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because it is a beautiful wreath for your head and an ornament for your neck.
8-9. Already in this section, both positive and negative incentives to wisdom - piety are proposed. Having spoken about the fear of God (v. 7), as the beginning or basis of true wisdom, the Wise is in second place, according to the sequence of the commandments in the decalogue of Moses (Ex XX: 12; Deut V: 16, cf. Eph VI: 1-3), delivers teaching authority of parents - father and mother (Talmud understands ab "father", and em "mother" in a figurative sense, meaning by the father of God, and by the mother the society of Israel, or, in another opinion, wisdom, but this is already a reinterpretation of the grammatical and historical meaning of both concepts in this text), and the father is taught the instruction (gl.: punishment, Greek. - paideia, lat. - discipline, Heb. - musar), - sometimes combined with measures and physical influence of the father on the son (XXIII: 13-14, sn. XXII: 15), - for the mother - only the covenant (Russian) or covenants (Greek - qesmoi, lat. - Иex, Heb. - torah). The one to whom Solomon addresses (here, as in I: 10; II: 1; III: 1) with instructions, he calls a son, partly primarily in the physical sense (he could mean Rehoboam), and then youth in general , by the right of teaching, as a sign of paternal sympathy and goodwill; nothing can be inferred from this about the age of the listeners, in any case, this intimate appeal is not only a literary device, although it does not yet contain the New Testament concept of birth into spiritual life, as in the Apostle (1 Cor. IV: 15; Phm 10; Gal IV: 19). The Midrash understands Art. 8 in the sense of an exhortation to observe all that is commanded on Mount Sinai regarding respect for parents. - Obedience to parents, their advice and covenants, serves as the best adornment of a young man - in the form of a lovely wreath on his head (cf. IV: 9) and a necklace around his neck (III: 3; VI: 21).
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My son! if sinners persuade you, do not agree;
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if they say: "come with us, we will make an ambush for murder, we will wait on the immaculate without guilt,
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let us swallow them alive as the grave, and whole as those who go down into the grave;
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we will collect all the precious property, we will fill our houses with booty;
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you will cast your lot with us, we will all have one warehouse ", -
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my son! do not go on a journey with them, keep your foot from their path,
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because their feet run to evil and hasten to shed blood.
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In the eyes of all birds the net is in vain,
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but they ambush their blood and lie in wait for their souls.
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Such are the ways of everyone who longs for someone else's good: it takes away the life of the one who possesses it.
10-19. After a general appeal and admonition to the disciple (vv. 8-9), Solomon offers him a private admonition, a specific warning against being attracted to evil by "sinners" (v. 10), Heb. hattaim, Vulg. : peccalores, LXX: andreV asebeiV, slav. - man of wickedness - evildoers for whom crime has become a custom (cf. Ps I: 1, Proverbs XVI: 29). Warning his disciple from the disastrous influence of such villains, Solomon reveals the true essence and true motives of their villainous plans (11-14): encroaching on the property and life of a neighbor, without any fault on his part, with the greatest arrogance and cruelty, the villains tried to seduce the invited in the complicity of the young man with the thought of impunity for the crime (Art. 12) and a large share in the alleged prey (13-14). Having depicted the seductive and criminal intentions of evildoers, the Wise from v. 15 (lowering the period) in a positive categorical form warns its listener against following their "path"; This warning, both in content and in the form of speech, resembles the opening words of the Psalter: "Blessed is the man who does not go to the counsel of the wicked, and there are not a hundred sinners on the way" (Ps I: 1). Art. 16, repeated by the prophet Isaiah (Isa LIX: 7) and Ap. Paul (Rom. III: 15), is not available in the LXX: however, to consider this verse in Heb. Vulg. glory. Russian, borrowed from the prophet Isaiah, there is no basis; rather, the prophet Isaiah quotes from more ancient biblical books do not represent anything unusual; moreover, in many codd. LXX (23, 68, 157, 252, 254, 295, 296, 161, 248 and others in Holmes, Set. Ald.) Have Art. 16. In Art. 17-19, the listener shields himself from the influence of the seductive speeches of the villains - by indicating the punishment awaiting them - final death, despite the impunity they expected.
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Wisdom proclaims in the street, in the squares it raises its voice,
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in the main places of assembly he preaches, at the entrances to the city gates he speaks his speech:
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"How long, you ignorant, will you love ignorance? until will the violent delight in the violence? How long will fools hate knowledge?
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Turn to my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit on you, I will declare my words to you.
20-32. In contrast to the seductive speeches of criminal people (v. 11-19), looking for like-minded people, Wisdom is also displayed here, calling disciples to itself and encouraging them to repentance; but while the criminal speeches of evildoers are conducted under the cover of deep secrecy, the broadcasting and vestments of Wisdom are heard publicly - "in the streets, in the squares, ... in the main meeting places" (20-21). This wisdom, judging by the nature of Her teachings and admonitions, as well as in the whole image of Her speech, is not a limited human power, but an all-powerful power of God, which alone can speak with such authority, a power in whose obedience all good and happiness is concluded for people , but in opposition - destruction. The opinion of some Westerners, who see in the depiction of Wisdom in Proverbs I: 20 pages, VIII: 22 pages, is completely arbitrary and erroneous. the influence of parsism on biblical writing. In fact, the concept of "Wisdom" grew on a purely biblical, original soil. In the book of Job (XV: 7-8; XXVIII: 12 ff.) Wisdom is portrayed very similarly to the book of Proverbs. The very image of the speech of Wisdom (20-21 f.) Is quite reminiscent of the preaching or teaching activity of the people's teachers of the law (cf. 2 Chronicles XVII: 7-9), as well as the prophets and - later - the apostles (Matt X: 27; Luke XIV: 21) , all the messengers of the same Wisdom (Luke XI: 49). Further, from Art. 22, the very content of the sermon of Wisdom is stated.
The first half of Art. 22 LXX and Slav. ( "For a time of non-malice they hold the truth, they will not be ashamed") is not conveyed in the accusatory sense, as in Heb. Vulg. Russian, and in the positive - in the sense of praise for the "non-malignant". But with the context of the speech of Art. 22, the accusatory meaning is more consistent (like in Ps IV: 3): people of three categories are exposed: 1) ignorant (simpletons, Heb. singing), 2) violent mockers, blasphemers, despisers of all that is holy (Heb. lecim) and 3) fools - people of alien knowledge, stupid and always ready to fall spiritually (Heb. kesilim), in a word, all who oppose the truth with intention or ignorance. And in Art. 23 Wisdom, from the fullness of its spiritual wealth, desires to shed the spirit of wisdom (cf. XVIII: 4) to all without distinction who need it; wisdom and piety, according to the view of the Wise, as well as according to the teaching of the entire Bible, are not the property of only selected natures, but are poured abundantly into every mind, soul and heart, since they are open to influence from above (cf. John VII: 37-39).
24
I called, and you disobeyed; she stretched out my hand, and there was no one who heeded;
25
and you rejected all my advice, and did not receive my reproofs.
24-25. But since such impressive, touching and repeated broadcasts of the Wisdom did not succeed, her speech changes its tone and character: after prolonged, but fruitless, calls to repentance, Divine Wisdom menacingly announces the death of all who stubbornly stagnate in evil.
26
For that I will laugh at your destruction; I will be glad when horror comes on you;
27
when terror comes over you like a storm, and trouble comes over you like a whirlwind; when grief and distress come upon you.
28
Then they will call me, and I will not hear; in the morning they will look for me, and they will not find me.
29
Because they hated knowledge and did not choose for myself fear of the Lord,
30
they did not receive my advice, they despised all my reproofs;
31
for this they will eat of the fruits of their ways and be satisfied with their thoughts.
26-31. The pitiful, desperate state of people who stubbornly despised the command of Wisdom is depicted with all clarity and completeness: sudden death (v. 27, sn. 1 Sol V: 7), lack of sympathy from the outside (v. 26), futility of repentance (v. 28) in all this, the wicked will only reap the natural and inevitable fruits of their wickedness (v. 31, sn. Gal VI: 7).
32
For the stubbornness of the ignorant will kill them, and the carelessness of fools will destroy them,
33
but he who hears me will live safely and calmly, not fearing evil. "
In Art. 32-33 there is an expressive opposition to the disastrous state of the contemptuous of Wisdom and the strength of the happiness of those obedient to Her voice. The latter always remain calm because external successes and deprivations, as well as all earthly, temporary life, do not betray the extremely important meaning that all this has in the eyes of the wicked. The view of the pious on life and its benefits, in the Wise, as in the Apostle, is determined by the rule: "piety is good for everything, having the promise of life now and in the future" (1 Tim IV: 8). In the first half of Art. 32 reading Russian. transl. "persistence ... (Archimandrite Macarius - disobedience) will kill them "accurately conveying Heb. reading and acc. - Vulgate, Greek should be preferred. and glory. "if you hurt babies, they will be killed".
Book of proverbs. Chapter 18, verses 5, 9-11, 13-14, 21.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked in order to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
In the Old Testament, the word "judgment" is like an analysis of a court case. That is, if a person reads the Old Testament, then he sees both the "wicked" and the "righteous". "Wicked" is the text Old Testament in the direct sense, right in the text. It is wrong, therefore it is "wicked." He is also sometimes referred to in the Bible as "the wicked," "the beast," or "the son of destruction." And "righteous" is the text of the Old Testament in a figurative interpretation. That is, interpreting the law of God figuratively, you personally "do justice righteously." This is the essence of this Old Testament phrase.
That is, all of us in this verse are called to figuratively interpret the law of God. In general, in the Book of Proverbs of Solomon, every verse, there is an urgent appeal to correctly understand the law of God, that is, to interpret it figuratively. Including in the following verses.
9 He who is negligent in his work is a brother to a squander.
A "negligent" is one who does not interpret the law of God figuratively (that is, correctly), but one who understands the law directly from the text (which is wrong). He is the brother of the "wasteful", that is, one who does not read the law of God at all.
That is, to understand the law of God directly from the text is the same as not reading it at all. Such a person is far from God.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous flees into it, and is safe.
The name of the Lord is a figurative interpretation of the law of God. If you are figuratively interpreting the law, then this in the Old Testament is called "to call on the name of the Lord" (see the First Book of Moses. Genesis. Chapter 4, verse 26 - the birth of Enos).
The “righteous man” in the tower is safe, because only a figurative interpretation of the law of God reveals to a person the words of the Holy Spirit. If a person is far from God (he understands the law directly from the text), then he does not recognize the righteous path. This is the meaning of the phrase.
11 The wealth of the rich is his strong city, and like a high fence in his imagination.
“The wealth of the rich” is the spiritual gifts of a spiritually rich person, given to him by God. First of all, this is the ability to interpret the law of God figuratively. Such people in the Old Testament are called "spies", "prophets", "chosen by God", "remnant of Jacob", "hearing God" and "seeing God", etc.
Therefore, when the Old Testament speaks of a “city”, it speaks of a certain period of time on Earth, when all people somehow equally understand the law of God (they do not necessarily understand correctly). For example, our time is usually called the "Babylonian captivity." We are all now “in captivity” by our misunderstanding of the law of God. All three world religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) misunderstand the law of God - right from the text. Therefore, they do lawlessness: they build earthly temples, worship icons and relics, make bloody sacrifices (except for Christians), fast in the sense of restrictions on food (which is not true), etc. This is the “high fence in his imagination” - people cannot overcome this fence in order to return to God. It is very difficult for all of us to completely abandon earthly temples, icons, prayers, fasts, etc. And this is absolutely necessary, since this is paganism. God hates it!
13 He who gives an answer without listening is foolish, and he is ashamed.
In the Bible, “to hear God” means figuratively interpreting the law of God. Those who understand the law of God directly from the text - they “do not hear God” and “do not see God”. Therefore, the meaning of this verse is that first you need to figuratively interpret the words of the law of God, and only then fulfill them. And now all three world religions are doing it wrong. They read the law of God - and immediately fulfill it. This is what is called here "gives an answer without listening." That is, all of them are “ashamed”, which means in the Old Testament that they will all fall into fiery hell on the “day of judgment”. The words "fiery hell" \u003d "shame".
14 The spirit of a man bears his infirmities; but the afflicted spirit - who can support it?
The Scripture says that "God is spirit." It is also said that "Christ took upon himself our infirmities." That is, in this verse the mystery of God is revealed. Christ is a figurative interpretation of the law of God. When we figuratively interpret the law of God, we are not only clearly convinced of the existence of God, since we literally see the words of the Holy Spirit, but we are also saturated with the power of God. We see how many of Christ's prophecies have already come true and this gives us strength to endure our earthly sufferings. We understand that Christ already lives within us, but He is still “sick in prison”. And if we achieve holiness and righteousness, then Christ will live within us in all His power. Thus, the student can be like a Teacher. This is the meaning of the teachings of the Old Testament and Christianity - to free Christ from the "prison" of our soul and make us great like Him.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will partake of its fruit.
"Death" is an understanding of the law of God directly from the text. From this comes a lot of lawlessness, such as killing people with stones, building earthly temples, etc.
"Life" is a figurative interpretation of the law of God. From him, the words of the Holy Spirit become clear, which convict our sins. If we listen to God's convictions, we will become closer to God. This is "life".
Therefore, depending on how we understand the words of the law of God (the language of God), we gain “death” or “life”. Literally all of Solomon's parables speak of this. And the “fruit” in this case is the words of the Holy Spirit, which are revealed in the figurative interpretation of the law of God.
The Book of Proverbs of Solomon or simply Proverbs is one of the Old Testament books of the Bible. Included in the cycle of teaching books, located after the Psalter. As is known from biblical history, God gave Solomon wisdom. This wisdom is reflected in the book of Proverbs.
Read the parables of Solomon.
There are 31 chapters in the Book of Proverbs of Solomon.
According to the form of presentation, Proverbs are a poetic work. The book of Proverbs was authored by Solomon. And this is the only Old Testament book whose authorship is not practically contested. Solomon's parables are mainly of a moral and religious nature.
The Book of Proverbs of Solomon is a fragmentary or related exposition of a philosophical and aphoristic nature. This is a list of speculative truths about God and life, rules of prudence, observation of everyday life.
It is customary to divide the Book of Proverbs into 3 parts.
Part 1. A collection of Solomon's speeches in which Solomon imparts his wisdom. Wisdom in the book is identified with great good. This is what every mortal should strive for. The first part includes 10 chapters. In these chapters, Solomon discusses what properties wisdom has, and how to acquire it. Solomon warns those on the path of seeking wisdom about possible obstacles in the form of excessive curiosity.
Solomon paints portraits of wisdom and stupidity, bringing these concepts to life. Wisdom is considered by the author to be the only good.
Part 2. Examples of Solomon's wisdom. Solomon gives his instructions on human relationships and moral behavior.
Part 3. The third part of the book consists of the parables of Solomon, which were written by Hezekiah's friends. For the most part, these are political and practical parables. At the end of the book - the parables of Agur and the instructions of the mother of Lemuel
Types of Solomon's parables.
According to the peculiarities of the presentation of the material, parables are divided into
Synonymous. The second half of the verse repeats the thought of the first in other words.
- Evil inflicts upon himself who vouches for a stranger; but whoever hates pledges is safe.
- Joy to a man in the answer of his lips, and how good is a word in time!
Antithetical. The second half of the verse gives the opposite of the first.
- A wise son pleases his father, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
- A man's spirit bears his infirmities; but the afflicted spirit - who can support it?
Parabolic. Finding similarities in various phenomena.
- Like a gold ring in a pig's nose, a woman is beautiful and reckless.
- Golden apples in silver transparent vessels is a well-spoken word.
Interpretation of the Book of Proverbs
The purpose of the Solomon's parables was to express wisdom in memorable and witty sayings. Solomon's wise counsel is distinguished by its religious orientation and character of divine revelation - the direct source of Solomon's wisdom.
Wisdom is presented as a kind of power that speaks through the sages. The wisdom of man is nothing but a part of the highest Wisdom.
Solomon's wisdom is based on reverence and is practical. The source of all true wisdom for Solomon is in the law of God. The set of instructions in the book constitutes moral legislation, ethical standards behavior and are universal - that is, they are applicable to everyone, regardless of time and nationality.
In the book of Proverbs, the law of Moses found a new reflection. Solomon, following Moses, investigated the secrets of the Torah.
The Christian Orthodox Church testifies to its respect for the book of Proverbs by its widespread use in church worship. Readings from this book are more common than from other Old Testament books.