Contents

This first line is simply the title of the book, as found in the ancient manuscripts which had no separate enlarged titles.

Solomon begins with two brief mission statements --To become wise, and To achieve self-mastery -- in other words to be able to identify the best course of action is in any situation, and have the self-discipline and diligence to follow it. Aristotle taught that men would do what is right if only they understood the logical consequences of their actions and the implications of the choices before them -- which may explain why Solomon suggests that wisdom and self-mastery go hand in hand.

The attainment of these two goals results in the achievement of the open, positive and insightful state of mind described as Enlightenment. The Enlightened person is equipped for success -- "de-programmed", so to speak, from the constraints of culture and custom, upbringing and education, and able to truly think clearly and objectively for himself or herself – in order to analyze and evaluate and so choose the most appropriate course of action in any situation.

Finally, Solomon stresses that the proverbs are differentiated – equally adaptable to the needs of both the young and foolish as well as those older and wiser and more discerning. Wisdom is a journey, not a destination, and even those already accounted wise can move further along the path and become wiser still.

The fear of the Lord is the very beginning of all knowledge, says Solomon, the starting point, the first priority in all education, a reliable foundation on which to build. To fear God does not mean to tremble in terror at his name, but to respect his laws and fear to break them – not because he might get angry and punish us in some way if we do, but because they embody principles that guide us in the right direction, safely away from harm, like a reliable compass, or a paved highway through the jungle.

The Ten Commandments, for example, are the bedrock of civilized society. The nation or family that condones lying, stealing, adultery and disrespect for parents, for example, is building on sand and heading for trouble.

The fool, however, actually despises both wisdom and self-discipline. Nobody is going to tell him what to do or where or why he is going wrong. He has nothing to learn and no desire to learn.

The constant theme of Proverbs, however, is the fact that human beings can learn and change -- once they decide to do so. That is their God-ordained choice. The foolish can become wise, the lazy can become diligent, the abrasive can become personable. Those who are timid, fearful and weak can change -- once they begin to recognize and restructure false beliefs, and interrupt habitual patterns of limiting behaviour that have been allowed to govern their lives up to this moment.

Father and Mother head up the traditional family which is the fundamental unit of society, entrusted by God with the responsibility of teaching and training children in the principles of successful living. A child has an inquiring, receptive mind and learns constantly -- but do we as adults still have that desire, or have we stagnated? Are we still open-minded and teachable?

If you are a parent, how well do you teach and influence your own children? Will they be well-spoken, confident, capable and wise? Are you laying a secure foundation of emotional stability and self-discipline, stimulating their intellect and encouraging an inquiring attitude of mind? What kind of example do you set for them yourself in such matters?

If they say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause,

Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

We shall find all kinds of precious wealth; we shall fill our houses with booty. Throw in your lot among us; let us all have one purse:

My son, walk not in the way with them; refrain your foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.

So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain, which takes away the life of the owners thereof.

As a child moves out into the world, the teaching of the home may be undermined by the evil influences of society at large – just as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were enticed by the devil in God’s absence, and consented to his deceitful suggestions.

The immediate lesson here is that young people especially can be enticed, caught up in gangs and led astray by peer pressure and youth culture. They tend to look at the immediate rewards and ignore the long-term consequences of their actions. If you are a parent, how can you protect your children from evil influences, and involve them in constructive, wholesome activities instead?

Are you, as an adult, still conforming to the expectations of others, even your parents perhaps, yielding to emotional pressures of others around you after the manner of a gang member? Are your ambitions limited by the mediocre aspirations of friends and associates -- or do you mix with people who inspire you to make the most of your abilities and opportunities? Who sets the agenda for your life? Who pulls your strings?

Wealth gained by greed and dishonest means do not and cannot satisfy. The crook may live in a big mansion and drive a fast car – but deep down it takes away his life, says Solomon, because in his heart he knows he is despicable, and guilty before God, and he has no long-term future to look forward to.

1.6 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares, at the head of the noisy street, she cries out.

In the gateway of the city she makes her speech, saying: How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you. I will make known my words unto you.

The world desperately needs Wisdom, but most people are too busy living and working to stop and listen to her call. Are you ready to pause and pay heed, turn around and change your life?

Using a different metaphor, modern psychologists suggest that many, if not most, people are metaphorically "sleep-walking", unthinkingly accepting self-imposed limitations and distorted views of reality, enslaved to bad habits and destructive impulses, and conforming to the expectations of other people. Their minds are closed, their ignorance is bliss, and they scorn those who dare to demonstrate ambition. Wisdom cries out to such individuals to wake up and open their eyes to reality, to turn away from their simple-minded ways and start thinking, really thinking, asking important questions and seeking Truth in all they do.

Following the wonderful promise of the previous section, Solomon now issues a sobering warning. We cannot flout God’s law, thinking that we can always pray for his help if and when calamity strikes, and call him out like a repair man when the dishwasher breaks down. It will then be too late. Be warned also that Wisdom will not keep on calling you.

A farmer with an orchard has to make choices – should he grow plums or apples, for example? If he plants a plum tree he will get plums – but not immediately. It takes time, and I suppose, by careless mistake, what he thought was a plum sapling might turn out to be an apple. Either way, the outcome is automatic, and he has to accept the consequences of his actions and eat the fruit he has produced.

Like the farmer, we also have important choices to make. Are we choosing wisdom or foolishness? Sooner or later, we will find ourselves eating the fruit – the inevitable consequences of those choices. Perhaps Solomon is alluding here to the experience of Adam and Eve, who, under the devil’s deceptive influence, somehow reasoned that it was better to ignore God’s specific command to the contrary and go ahead and eat the forbidden fruit. Do we, equally unwisely, do stupid things when we do actually know better?

The law of cause and effect is at work in our lives, and what we do makes a difference, for better or worse. Here Solomon points out that we get ourselves into trouble in life in two ways – by Waywardness, the bad things we do because of our naïve simplicity and human weakness -- and by Complacency, the good things we fail to do, for various reasons. So, are we active or passive? Do we plan positive action to improve our lives and achieve worthwhile goals, or passively accept the dictates of circumstances that surround us?

Are we prepared to analyze and change a losing game -- to adopt new strategies, where necessary, to devise more effective tactics, to acquire new knowledge and develop better skills?

In the very last line of this first chapter, we find another valuable promise -- if we do turn to God and conduct our lives with wisdom, we shall dwell safely and need fear no evil.