5. The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
6. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapour and a snare of death.
7. The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8. The way of the guilty is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9. It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10. The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbour finds no mercy in his eyes.
11. When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12. The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13. Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.
14. A gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.
15. When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.
16. One who wanders from the way of good sense
will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17. Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18. The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
19. It is better to live in a desert land, than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
Comment: Looking through the Proverbs the same subjects come up many times and are dealt with from slightly different angles. And in this group we meet again many subjects which we have seen before. By the repeated dealing of subjects I think that those selected again must make up the core subjects which Solomon sees as being the basis of proper living. Let me list a few that are dealt with again in these proverbs….
- The getting of wealth – but this is to be by honest means.
- God is real and blesses the righteous and brings destruction upon evil.
- The permanent battle which goes on between good and evil. And Solomon comes down on the side of the good, at least in his writings.
- The shallowness of seeking life in alcohol or illicit sexual relations; only alcohol in this group, unless 16 among other things is referring to sexual,.
- Justice is almost always mentioned and here it is again.
- Family relationships. Sometimes you get the impression that he may have been a bit of a chauvinist, as seen in number 19. But what he says is true; You and I can recognize that women often feel the same if they have a lazy or complaining husband!
I suggest reading through the above group of wisdom sayings and look for these aspects.
Prayer: Search me, O God and put your finger on areas in my life which need to be looked at in the light of Your book.
As I read it! 