IMPRESSIONS ON THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
From the outset, already in the first verse, I am informed that the author of this book, of these proverbs is “Solomon, son of David, king of Israel” (1, 1) . He has been known to me from a young age for anecdotal aspects: his wisdom from the famous scene of proposing to cut a child in two; his inordinate passion for the Queen of Sheba, captured in the cinema …
Well, the reading experience together with the accumulated Bible study, raises reasonable doubts in me that the entire book, all the proverbs, are from Solomon.
After authorship comes the purpose of the work: “ to know wisdom and instruction, to understand profound words” (1, 2). I find the connection between “wisdom” and “profound words” enlightening, and I don’t have time to wonder what kind of profound words he speaks because justice is immediately quoted , fairness and righteousness. And I say to myself: Almost nothing! This is serious!
And when reading what follows, “to give insight to the unwary” , I get the feeling of being before a text that, if they don’t tell me, I think it is very current. But even knowing that it is an Old Testament book, I can see that it is one of those that makes the expression of “actuality of the Bible” come true, that is, that the sacred text has words of life and wisdom for the man of today.
And this feeling, and consequent realization, are even more acute when reading “fools despise wisdom” . It seems like I’m talking about here and today.
But after that first purpose formulated in positive, another purpose of the work formulated in “negative” appears: “ My son, if sinners try to seduce you, you do not accept” . (1, 10)
Next comes a phrase that could well be considered a motto to follow: “The Wisdom cries out in the streets, in the squares it makes hear his voice ”(1, 20) With that phrase I have been awakened by my vindictive profile of justice and goodness, that profile that sometimes I have too hidden and that sadly wakes me up only when it makes it inevitable to see injustice, evil.
However, I am struck by the negative tone with which (1, 22-32) follows, because in the image that I can make of Wisdom, that ominous anger of calamities does not hit him at all. One hopes that Wisdom has such consistent and positive arguments that it does not need to threaten disasters and a heavy hand. Perhaps this thought could be a matter attributable to my prejudices.
Anyway, this first impression, which coincides with the first chapter of the Book, seems to me to be a range of sensations that range from clarity to perplexity. The thing promises!
Quique Fernandez
Miracle Sound Radio
