Proverbs on Life and Death

 1 A good name [i.e., reputation] is better than [Extended Notes] a good ointment [Prov.22:1; good ointment characterizes the good life. The house of feasting, etc.], And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. [Why is one’s death better than their birth?  It depends if the subject is considering life “under the sun” or life, so to speak, “in the Son.”  A curious fact is that we can learn more about a person by looking at their death date then their birth date.]

 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning [i.e., funeral home today, or even a home where there is mourning.] Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man [i.e., death], And the living takes it to heart. [It is often at a house of mourning that one sees another’s good name remembered!  It is often at a house of mourning in which we attend because of the person’s good name.]

 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. [This often happens at the funeral of an older Christian.]

 4 The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

 5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools. [A rebuke is considered antithetical to song, which makes me wonder if the song here is not just a beautiful melody, but rather a song praising the hearer, as if for exploits and heroism.  If not, then the songs are simply an illustration of what happens at the house of feasting (v.2).]

 6 For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool [Either this refers to the sound (i.e., annoying), or the effect (i.e., fleeting or useless).  The effect is meaningless as twigs burn out quickly.  They are, however, good for starting fires if logs are present.  I do not think the Preacher is presenting that point though.]; And this too is futility.

 7 For oppression [Hebrew uncertain: “extortion” (ASV, MLB, NIV), “oppression” (KJV, NAB, NASB, RSV, NRSV, YLT, Douay, Moffatt), as well as “cheating” (NJPS) and “slander” (NEB).] makes a wise man mad [i.e., insane, not angry; the point is either: A wise man turns into a fool (madman) by taking a bribe; or A wise man looses his sanity (madman) by watching oppression.], And a bribe corrupts the heart [If the first ].

 8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. [It does not take patience to begin anything – takes patience to finish it.]

 9 Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools. [Too many people are looking for reasons to get mad, or to be hurt.]

 10 Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” [i.e., the good ole days] For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this. [If something old is better than something new, it is not because it is old.  The reverse is true also.  If something new is better than something old, it is not because it is something new.]

 11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun.

 12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection [money protects against troubles such as], But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

 13 Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

 14 In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider–God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

 

Righteousness vs. Wickedness vs. Balance

 15 [Extended Notes] I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness [either “despite his being righteous,” or “because he is righteous”] and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in [either despite or because] his wickedness.

 16 Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

 17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

 18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

 

Proverbs

 19 Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

 20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

 21 Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.

 22 For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.

 

 23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

 24 What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?

 25 I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.

 26 And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

 27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation,

 28 which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. [hyperbole for emphasis]

 29 “Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

 (NAS95)

Tags: Commentary

This entry was posted by PHall on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 10:34 pm and is filed under Ecclesiastes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.