Proverbs 8

Promise in Proverbs 8

This passage has different music in verses 23 and 33. Each of these is without rest. Verse 23 is unique starting on the minor third above the tonic and descending by step to the tonic.
G-From everlasting
F# I have offered libation from the beginning (ornament), out of the precedents of
E earth.
Verse 33 is not much different in shape.
E-G Hear chastening
F# and be wise (ornament), and do not be dis-
E -missive.

These two verses identify the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the earth and the impact. Offer libation brings Psalm 2 to mind where the same word is used of the anointed king. The two verses are connected by the death of Jesus whereby we are able to, i.e. we are given the power to accept chastening. This is so obscure in its formation in human language. It is obscure like Sheol itself, a word that has the sense of the hidden. All trouble of any sort, and all good in the human is sanctified in the libation that is celebrated from before the foundation of the world. Wisdom of course is identified with Jesus - who has become our wisdom (1 Corinthians).

You don't have to believe my words, but do try this odd means of power over impulse and sin. If we have died, we have no power to sin. We cannot do anything. But if we have died in his death, a sort of fictional death by faith, what do you know but that new life arises in us in most surprising ways.

Music is in the usual place. And below is a summary of its highlights: First note (if not e) and min and max notes for a verse.

The book of Proverbs is poetry like the Psalms. The short crisp rhythms are clear from the syllable counts (second to last column). And from the use of the poetic accents defining explicit tricola. The exceptional long lines stand out. If some of my glasses don't make any sense, check another translation and ponder... But am I not also straightforward and understandable? I use wisdom here, a traditional word with heavy religious and social overtones. Wisdom also is shrewdness, a gloss I use primarily in Qohelet. Must be a bias of mine. I don't trust Solomon - if indeed he wrote any of this material, and I doubt he wrote that much of it.

I have as usual never used the lovely word, soul. I am much more concerned about the present state of our world and not at all about some undefined and immaterial 'future'. Time is not what we think. It is not a straight line. It takes everything into one present moment from the eternal libation to the incarnation to our own sensible and fully tangible presence in the faces of joy.

[See also here for more on verses 22-24.]

Proverbs 8		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
הֲלֹֽא־חָכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלָֽהּ	1		Does not wisdom call, and understanding give her voice?	3e	4A	6 7
בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרוֹמִ֥ים עֲלֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ בֵּ֖ית נְתִיב֣וֹת נִצָּֽבָה	2		At the head, from the high ground, by a way, the house of pathways, she stands firm.	3e	4B	8 7
לְיַד־שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־קָ֑רֶת מְב֖וֹא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה	3		From the hand at the gates, to the edge of the town, she shouts at the entrance of the doors.	3e	4B	8 8
אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם	4		To each and every one of you I call, and my voice is to the children of humanity.	3e	4B	7 8
הָבִ֣ינוּ פְתָאיִ֣ם עָרְמָ֑ה וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים הָבִ֥ינוּ לֵֽב	5		Let simpletons be made to understand craftiness, and let dullards be made to understand heart.	3e	4B	8 7
שִׁ֭מְעוּ כִּֽי־נְגִידִ֣ים אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וּמִפְתַּ֥ח שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י מֵישָׁרִֽים	6	g	Hear because I will speak evidence, and the opening of my lips, uprightness.	3e	4B	9 9
כִּֽי־אֱ֭מֶת יֶהְגֶּ֣ה חִכִּ֑י וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת שְׂפָתַ֣י רֶֽשַׁע	7		Because my palate mediates truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.	3e	4B	6 9
בְּצֶ֥דֶק כָּל־אִמְרֵי־פִ֑י אֵ֥ין בָּ֝הֶ֗ם נִפְתָּ֥ל וְעִקֵּֽשׁ	8		All the promises of my mouth are in righteousness. There is no guile or deviousness in them.	3e	4A	7 8
כֻּלָּ֣ם נְ֭כֹחִים לַמֵּבִ֑ין וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים לְמֹ֣צְאֵי דָֽעַת	9		all of them straightforward, understandable, and upright as a source of knowledge.	3e	4B	8 8
קְחֽוּ־מוּסָרִ֥י וְאַל־כָּ֑סֶף וְ֝דַ֗עַת מֵחָר֥וּץ נִבְחָֽר	10		Receive my mentoring and not silver, so knowledge over bullion, choose.	3e	4A	8 8
כִּֽי־טוֹבָ֣ה חָ֭כְמָה מִפְּנִינִ֑ים וְכָל־חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ	11		Because good is wisdom over rubies, and all delights are not to be considered equal in her.	3e	4B	7 9
אֲ‍ֽנִי־חָ֭כְמָה שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי עָרְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת מְזִמּ֣וֹת אֶמְצָֽא	12		I, wisdom, I dwell with craftiness, and I find out knowledge of schemes.	3e	4B	8 8
יִֽרְאַ֣ת יְהוָה֮ שְֽׂנֹ֫את רָ֥ע גֵּ֘אָ֤ה וְגָא֨וֹן ׀ וְדֶ֣רֶךְ רָ֭ע וּפִ֨י תַהְפֻּכ֬וֹת שָׂנֵֽאתִי	13		The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil, pride, and pomp, and the way of evil and the changeable mouth I have hated.	3e	4C	7 17
לִֽי־עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה	14		Counsel is mine and enterprise. I am understanding. Valour is mine.	3e	4B	6 8
בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק	15	g	In me sovereigns reign, and rule-makers decree righteousness.	3e	4B	7 8
בִּ֭י שָׂרִ֣ים יָשֹׂ֑רוּ וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים כָּל־שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק	16	g	In me nobility influence, and princes, all you who judge righteousness.	3e	4B	6 8
אֲ֭נִי אֹהֲבַ֣י אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי	17	g	I myself love those who love her, and those who seek me early will find me.	3e	4B	7 8
עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָב֥וֹד אִתִּ֑י ה֥וֹן עָ֝תֵ֗ק וּצְדָקָֽה	18		Riches and glory are with me, durable value and righteousness.	3e	4A	7 6
ט֣וֹב פִּ֭רְיִי מֵחָר֣וּץ וּמִפָּ֑ז וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י מִכֶּ֥סֶף נִבְחָֽר	19	B	My fruit is better than bullion and than pure gold, and my income than choice silver.	3e	4B	9 9
בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה אֲהַלֵּ֑ך‬ בְּ֝ת֗וֹךְ נְתִיב֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט	20		I walk in a path of righteousness, in the midst of pathways of judgment,	3e	4A	9 7
לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י ׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא פ	21		to make those loving me inherit what is, so I fill their treasuries. P	3e	4B	7 9
יְֽהוָ֗ה קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז	22		Yahweh bought me, the beginning of his way, preceding his work from then.	3e	4B	9 7
מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ	23	g	From everlasting I have offered libation from the beginning, out of the precedents of earth.	3e	3g	12
בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם	24		When there were no abysses, I was birthed, when there were no springs, heavy with water.	3e	4A	8 9
בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הָטְבָּ֑עוּ לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי	25		From ere hills were ringed, before the presence of hillocks, I was birthed.	3e	4B	8 8
עַד־לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצ֑וֹת וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עָפְר֥וֹת‬ תֵּבֵֽל	26		While he had not made earth or outsides, or the preeminent fauna of the world.	3e	4B	9 6
בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑נִי בְּח֥וּקוֹ ח֝֗וּג עַל־פְּנֵ֥י תְהֽוֹם	27		In the establishing of the heavens, there am I, when he engraved the ambit on the face of the abyss.	3e	4B	9 9
בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם	28		When he assured the skies from above, in the strength of the springs of the abyss.	3e	4B	9 7
בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ לַיָּ֨ם ׀ חֻקּ֗וֹ וּ֭מַיִם לֹ֣א יַֽעַבְרוּ־פִ֑יו בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ מ֣וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ	29		In his defining to the sea his decree, and the waters not to bypass his mandate, when he engraved the foundations of earth,	3e	4C	14 7
וָֽאֶהְיֶ֥ה אֶצְל֗וֹ אָ֫מ֥וֹן וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה שַׁ֭עֲשֻׁעִים י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת לְפָנָ֣יו בְּכָל־עֵֽת	30		And I was next to him as confidante, and I was reveling day by day, gamboling in his presence all the time,	3e	4C	7 9 10
מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצ֑וֹ וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם פ	31	g	gamboling in the world of his earth, reveling with the children of humanity. P	3e	4B	9 11
וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ	32		So now, children, hear of what is mine. Happy are those keeping my ways.	3e	4B	8 9
שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָֽעוּ	33		Hear chastening and be wise, and do not be negligent.	3e	3g	13
אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָם֮ שֹׁמֵ֪עַֽ֫ לִ֥י לִשְׁקֹ֣ד עַל־דַּ֭לְתֹתַי י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מְזוּזֹ֥ת פְּתָחָֽי	34	f	Happy a human that has heard of what is mine, to be alert at my gateways day by day, to watch from the posts of my doors.	3d	4C	8 8 8
כִּ֣י מֹ֭צְאִי מָצָ֣א‬ חַיִּ֑ים וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה	35	B	Because who finds me finds life, and will draw forth acceptance from Yahweh.	3e	4B	7 8
וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כָּל־מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת פ	36		But who sins against me does itself violence. All who hate me love death. P	3e	4B	7 10