The Righteous Prevail Through Their Knowledge Of Wisdom, Whilst The Unrighteous Go Astray Because They Reject Wisdom (Proverbs 12:25 to Proverbs 13:6).
In the first part of the subsection there is an emphasis on guiding and learning. ‘A good word makes (the heart) glad' (Proverbs 12:25). ‘The righteous is a guide to his neighbour' (Proverbs 12:26). ‘A wise son listens to his father's instruction' (Proverbs 13:1). ‘A man will eat good by the fruit of his mouth (because he has guided people)' (Proverbs 13:2).
There is also an overall emphasis on diligence as against laziness. The ‘good word' of Proverbs 12:25 requires effort to apply it to the particular needs of the anxious man, the righteous man ‘searches out' what is required by his friend (Proverbs 12:26), the diligent man makes full use of what is of benefit to man (Proverbs 12:27), a man has to make fruitful use of his mouth if he is to ‘eat good', (another metaphor) (Proverbs 13:2), it is the diligent who will prosper and become rich (Proverbs 13:4).
A third emphasis is on the right use of words. ‘A good word makes the heart of man glad' (Proverbs 12:25), ‘the righteous is a guide to his neighbour' (Proverbs 12:26), ‘a wise son listens to his father's instruction' (Proverbs 13:1), ‘from the fruit of his mouth a man will eat good' (Proverbs 13:2), ‘he who guards his mouth preserves his life' (Proverbs 13:3), ‘a righteous man hates lying' (Proverbs 13:5)
But the prime emphasis is on solid teaching. The good word makes glad (Proverbs 12:25), the righteous searches out in order to guide his neighbour (Proverbs 12:26), the diligent brings forth the valuable wealth of man (Proverbs 12:27), the way of righteousness, as known through wisdom, is the way of life (Proverbs 12:28), the wise son listens to his father's teaching (Proverbs 13:1), it is the soul of the diligent which will be made fat (Proverbs 13:4), the righteous man, having received wisdom, hates what is false (Proverbs 13:5), righteousness obtained through wisdom guards the upright (Proverbs 13:6).
The subsection is presented chiastically:
A Heaviness (anxiety) in the heart of a man makes it stoop, but a good word makes it glad (Proverbs 12:25).
B The righteous is a guide to his neighbour, but the way of the wicked causes them to err (Proverbs 12:26).
C The slothful man does not roast what he took in hunting, but the precious substance of men is to the diligent (Proverbs 12:27).
D In the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway of it there is no death (Proverbs 12:28)
E A wise son listens to his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke (Proverbs 13:1)
E From the fruit of the mouth of a man one eats good, but the soul of the treacherous will eat violence (Proverbs 13:2).
D He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips will have destruction (Proverbs 13:3).
C The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent will be made fat (Proverbs 13:4).
B A righteous man hates lying, but a wicked man is loathsome, and comes to shame (Proverbs 13:5).
A Righteousness guards him who is upright in the way, but wickedness overthrows the sinner (Proverbs 13:6).
Note that in A heaviness anxiety a man's heart STOOP, whilst in the parallel righteousness guards the UPRIGHT. In B the righteous is a true guide to his neighbour, while the wicked causes him to err, and in the parallel the righteous hates lying (and is therefore reliable), and the sinner causes himself to err and therefore loathsome and comes to shame. In C and its parallel the sluggard and the diligent are contrasted. In D the way of righteousness is LIFE and in its pathway is no DEATH, whilst in the parallel he who guards his mouth preserves his LIFE, and he who speaks (unwisely) will have DESTRUCTION. In E a wise son benefits by the words of his father, whilst in the parallel a man benefits by either his own words or the words of another.
‘Heaviness (anxiety) in the heart of a man makes it stoop (bow down),
But a good word makes it glad.'
The point here is that deep anxiety can bow a man down, but that a good word (sound advice, which in Proverbs is godly advice) wisely presented can restore its gladness. Such sound and godly advice and words, associated with the idea of peace and wellbeing, were a feature of the Prologue (Proverbs 1:2; Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 2:1; Proverbs 2:6-7; Proverbs 2:10-11; Proverbs 3:2; Proverbs 3:15-18; etc.). They are a reminder that the promises and assurances of God are an antidote to anxiety (note Proverbs 3:5-6) and that true godly wisdom can bring a man peace. In the parallel ‘righteousness guards the one who is straight (upright)' (Proverbs 13:6). Thus there wisdom and righteousness (the knowledge of God) are seen as the preventatives from deep anxiety.
‘The righteous is a guide to (searches out) his neighbour (bosom friend),
But the way of the wicked causes them to err.'
Strictly speaking the first clause reads literally ‘the righteous spies out/searches out (from/because of) his friend'. Whether there is a preposition min, shown in brackets as ‘from/because'), is questionable. Its presence depends on whether we take the noun for ‘friend' as merea‘ or rea‘ (both are possible). Thus it could signify that the righteous man searches out (wisdom) because of/on behalf of his friend, thus acting as his guide. This would fit well into the theme of guiding and learning in Proverbs 12:25 and Proverbs 13:1. Alternatively it could signify that he searches out/spies out his bosom friend, because he does not want as a close friend one who is untrustworthy or unreliable (see Proverbs 13:20). This carefulness would tie in well with the carefulness demonstrated in Proverbs 12:27.
In the latter case ‘the way of the wicked causes them to err' may signify that it is because they are not so careful in choosing their friends (compare Proverbs 1:11 ff.). In the case of the former it may signify that it is because they do not (like the righteous) seek out wisdom, something which is again a continual urging of the Prologue.
Either interpretation could gain support from the parallel verse in the chiasmus, ‘a righteous man hates lying, a wicked man --- comes to shame' (Proverbs 13:5). The righteous man searches out wisdom because he hates lying and deceit, or he ‘spies out' his prospective bosom friend for the same reason.
‘The slothful man does not roast his game,
But the precious substance/wealth of men is to the diligent.'
The word translated ‘roast' occurs only here in the Old Testament, but the translation has been remarkably supported by a 14th century BC tablet from Ras Ibn Hani, near Ugarit. It need therefore no longer be questioned. The point is that the slothful man is so lazy that rather than roasting his game for full enjoyment, he simply eats it raw. It may, however, be that Solomon wants us to see behind this simple statement and recognise that the same is true of wisdom. It is not just to be accepted as it is without thought and effort, ‘unroasted', but must rather become palatable by deep consideration. This would tie in with the equal effort of the righteous in Proverbs 12:26, who does not just take things as they are but ‘searches them out', and that in contrast to the slackness of the wicked man. The suggestion is further reinforced by the wording of the second clause, which while probably referring to the roasting of game, does so in a highly metaphorical form, stressing what is precious to man. It explains also the reference to ‘the inner life of the diligent being made fat' in Proverbs 13:4.
The first clause concerning the behaviour of the slothful is in contrast to that of the diligent man. Using the translation above and seeing the ‘precious wealth of men' as being game animals available from hunting once they have been roasted, the parallel is clear. The diligent are better off than the slothful because they enjoy delectable roast meat rather than raw game. They have made proper use of their precious resources. The emphasis here is on the greater benefit resulting from diligence. Continuing the metaphorical interpretation above, this also emphasises that the precious wealth to man of wisdom is also only to be obtained by diligence. This was a constant theme of the Prologue (Proverbs 2:1-4; Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 4:5-6; Proverbs 4:20-23; Proverbs 6:20-22; Proverbs 7:1-4; Proverbs 8:17; Proverbs 8:33-34).
The translation of the second clause is, however, disputed, because the literal translation, keeping strictly to the Hebrew text, is, ‘But the wealth of a valuable (precious) man is diligent' which may indicate that the big advantage of a valuable man, and what makes him valuable, is that he is diligent (and thus among other things roasts his game and studies wisdom deeply). Among a number of alternative translations the following have also been proposed:
· ‘The diligent (does roast) the precious wealth of man'. The implication being that the diligent are wiser than the slothful.
· ‘A rare treasure of a man is one who is diligent'. The idea in context possibly being how fortunate are those whose hunters or cooks supply their meat roasted, with the emphasis being on the value of the diligent man.
However, what is certain is that the basic message is the superiority of the diligent man to the slothful one, something already brought out in Proverbs 12:24, and underlined in the parallel passage to this in Proverbs 13:4. The diligent man partakes of what is so much better.
‘In the way of righteousness is life,
And in the pathway of it there is no death.'
The effort of the counsellor in Proverbs 12:25, the righteous man in Proverbs 12:26 and the diligent man in Proverbs 12:27, is all to one end, the propagation of righteousness. And that because the way of righteousness is life. For those who walk in that way there is no death. As always life means wholesome life and life that will be prolonged, untarnished by death. It has already been emphasised in Proverbs 2:19; Proverbs 3:2; Proverbs 3:22; Proverbs 4:13; Proverbs 4:22-23; Proverbs 6:23; Proverbs 8:35; Proverbs 9:11; Proverbs 10:11; Proverbs 10:16; Proverbs 11:4; Proverbs 11:19.
‘In the pathway of it there is no death.' This could simply mean that the righteous will not meet premature death. But it must have been patently clear to Solomon that that was not true. In the light of Proverbs 14:32; Proverbs 15:25 the greater probability is that here there is the clear hint of immortality, which is strengthened even more if we see the idea of ‘no death' as an echo of Anath's promise of immortality in terms of ‘no death' to Aqhat in the Ugaritic mythology and used as a vivid illustration by Solomon. Such a concept is inherent in the descriptions in the Prologue relating to the fate of the disobedient (Proverbs 2:18-19; Proverbs 5:5-6) and in the promise of the tree of life in Proverbs 3:18. It must also be seen in the light of Psalms 16:11; Psalms 17:15; Psalms 23:6, and receives some support in Proverbs 10:2; Proverbs 10:25; Proverbs 11:4; Proverbs 11:19; Proverbs 12:19; Proverbs 14:32; Proverbs 15:24.
This second clause presents translation problems. It says literally, ‘and a way a path no death', which we may paraphrase as ‘and a way of a pathway of no death', which basically says the same as above.
In the chiasmus this verse parallels Proverbs 13:3, ‘he who guards his mouth keeps his life, he who opens wide his lips will have destruction'. Once again there is the promise of preserved life resulting from righteousness (a guarded mouth), whilst the second clause presents a contrast to the ‘no death' here. The alternative for the wicked is destruction.
‘A wise son (listens to) his father's instruction,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.'
The themes of teaching and learning, of diligence, and of obtaining a foundation in wisdom and righteousness are now continued. The wise son pays diligent heed to his father's disciplinary instruction (‘listens to' is read back from the second clause). Unlike the scoffer he takes note of rebuke (compare Proverbs 1:23; Proverbs 1:25; Proverbs 1:30; Proverbs 6:23; Proverbs 9:8; Proverbs 10:17; Proverbs 12:1). Once more we note that the father (along with his wife) was to be the prime instrument for imparting wisdom (Proverbs 1:8-9; Proverbs 4:1; Proverbs 4:3; Proverbs 6:20; Proverbs 10:1). In contrast the scoffer refuses to listen to rebuke. ‘He does not love to be reproved' (Proverbs 15:12). He hates it (Proverbs 15:10).
‘From the fruit of the mouth of a man he (or ‘one') eats good,
But the soul of the treacherous will eat violence.'
In Proverbs 13:1 a wise son benefits by the words of his father, whilst here a man benefits, either from his own words or from the words of another, and ‘eats good'. The two ideas are in parallel. In contrast the one who would not listen to rebuke (Proverbs 13:1) ‘eats violence'.
The first clause is almost a repetition of Proverbs 12:14 a, ‘from the fruit of a mans mouth he (or ‘one') will be satisfied with good', and it conveys the same idea, whilst the idea of fruit reminds us of Proverbs 11:30, ‘the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life'. It is fruit that is ‘better than gold' (Proverbs 8:19). There is a reminder here of the importance of listening to those who impart God's wisdom. And it is a reminder also that to all who follow God's wisdom what it says is important. We have to ensure that men eat good from it.
But the contrasting clause supports the idea that the one who benefits from the fruit of his mouth is himself (just as the treacherous ‘eats (his own) violence'). In other words those who speak what is good also benefit from it themselves. Because of what they say they have an appetite for good. How we talk makes a difference to what we are. In the parallel clause ‘the inner life, appetite' (nephesh) of the treacherous itself eats violence, in other words the treacherous man has an appetite for violence which comes from deep within him, and he enjoys participating in it. Consequently he will ‘eat the fruit of his own ways' in the end (Proverbs 1:31).
‘He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips will have destruction.
In Proverbs 12:28 we learned that ‘in the way of righteousness is life.' In other words that those who walk in that way will experience abundant life, a life that will endure. And in Proverbs 11:2 we learned that a man ‘eats good from the fruit of his mouth'. He benefits himself, and fashions his character, by what he says. Now the two ideas are put together. To walk in the way of righteousness involves being careful of what we say, for ‘he who guards his mouth preserves his life.' Once again the idea is that what we say not only reveals what we are, but actually affects what we are. We should therefore guard our mouths because, ‘in the multiplicity of words sin is not lacking' (Proverbs 10:19). In consequence it is of great importance that we do guard our mouths, ensuring that nothing slips from them which will grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29-30). By this means we will preserve whole and intact the life that God has given us. On the other hand the one who ‘opens wide his lips', speaking without restraint or thought, will ‘have destruction'. He will bring retribution on himself. For by our words we will be revealed as righteous, and by our words we will be condemned (Matthew 12:37),
‘The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing,
But the soul of the diligent will be made fat.'
There is a general principle here that lazy people want things in their ‘inner man, appetite' (nephesh), but often don't get them because of their laziness. They lie in bed and let the years slip away (see Proverbs 6:6-11). In contrast diligent people set about things, and get what they want and more. Thus their ‘inner men' will be ‘made fat', that is, will prosper and enjoy prosperity.
But in the context of guiding and listening, and of solid teaching (see introduction to the subsection) there is here special reference to the gathering of wisdom and truth. The lazy person wants to have wisdom and understanding, and every now and then he wants to know God and His word, but he never gets round to seeking them. Thus he ends up spiritually poor. Indeed he ends up with nothing that is worthwhile. But the one who from his heart (his inner person) diligently seeks, and makes an effort to understand, will not only find, but will grow and enjoy fullness of blessing. What such people receive they will ‘roast', in other words, will take time and effort over it in order to enjoy it to the full (Proverbs 12:27). They will enjoy what is most precious in the earth (Proverbs 12:27).
‘A righteous man hates lying,
But a wicked man is loathsome, and comes to shame.'
As in Proverbs 12:26 we now have a contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous. There the righteous man ‘spied out' his friends, like Joshua's men spied out Canaan, in order to ensure that they were worthy friends, so that he would not be led astray by them (compare Proverbs 1:11 ff.). Here the righteous man hates lying (as does God - Proverbs 6:17; Proverbs 6:19; Proverbs 12:22). He searches out the truth. He cannot abide anything that smacks of deceit. He will therefore obtain a reputation for being honourable and trustworthy (he does not come to shame). In contrast the unrighteous man is loathsome before both God and man, for his way is that of deceit (Proverbs 11:20). He has the lying lips which are an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:17), and to honest men. He cannot be trusted, even with a confidence, and he destroys other people' s reputations or wealth. And in the end his deceit will bring him into being shamed.
‘Righteousness guards him who is upright in the way,
But wickedness overthrows the sinner.'
The subsection ends with a summarising verse. The one who is walking uprightly in the way, listening to disciplinary instruction and responding to it, is guarded by his righteousness. ‘In the way of righteousness is life' (Proverbs 12:28). His life is thus secure, and he walks with confidence without stumbling (Proverbs 10:9). For he who walks uprightly in the way is a delight to YHWH (Proverbs 11:20), and YHWH is a shield to him (Proverbs 2:7). In contrast is the sinner who is overthrown by his evildoing. His hope is not life but death. He will ‘have destruction' (Proverbs 13:3). He is loathsome to YHWH (Proverbs 13:5).
‘Him who is upright in the way' takes us right back into the atmosphere of the Prologue, where being, or not being, ‘in the way' is a constant theme (Proverbs 1:15; Proverbs 2:13; Proverbs 2:15; Proverbs 2:18; Proverbs 2:20; Proverbs 4:11; Proverbs 4:14; Proverbs 4:18-19; etc.).