8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him what will be after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know the way to the city.
Comment: In the first four lines the two verbs ‘will’ and ‘is’ are both understood as ‘may or may be’, and point people to be watchful and careful. The next proverb is about being prepared. Sharpen your axe before you start cutting the wood he says – to do that is not only to be prepared but wise! Verse 11 is again about preparedness and care. Few of us are snake charmers but all of us plan for various things. If a snake charmer doesn’t milk the venom he will possibly be poisoned. Often there are precautions that we can take to save problems – at the simplest level – like checking the water, oil and fuel gauge before you go in the car!
Then Solomon gets stuck into foolishness again! i) The fool doesn’t make sense when he talks and the more he talks the worse it becomes. ii) a fool lacks purpose in his life, he works away without knowing why or where he will end up. Not that any of us know the future but ‘the city’ marks a purposed for and successful end to one’s labour.
Prayer: Thank You for promising to give us help in being wise if we come to You and ask.
As I read it! 