Proverbs 4

I had forgotten how different poetry is! What a relief. Hear too the application of the first verse to the troubled world. Hear chastening. Such a prayer. Slowly, read and consider the active nature of Wisdom. This is no abstraction to be used, but a living source of instruction. Yes clasp (verse 8), but don't be fooled. Be that other aspect of wisdom, shrewd. Translating כי in that verse is tricky - I have treated it as not cause and effect (because) nor temporal (when) as if under our control, but relational (that).

If there is any grace or gospel anywhere, surely it can be known and it is not dependent on our effort, though our effort will be enabled through it. Verse 6 stands out as the only verse that fails to rise above an A. Wisdom does not raise her voice. The paired verses are clear from the opening notes. Three stand out beginning on a g. (Music is below the text).

With the inundation that surrounds us of tweets, lies, and half-truths, wisdom such as this is neither mocked nor falsified. The flood will not overwhelm us. (See verses 23-27).

Last night, the first three Shostakovitch string quartets. Tonight the next three. Music for troubled times. Preserve the heart.

All this acquiring - same word as purchase, buy. The economics of life.

Proverbs 4		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
שִׁמְע֣וּ בָ֭נִים מ֣וּסַר אָ֑ב וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ לָדַ֥עַת בִּינָֽה	1		Hear, children the chastening of a parent, and attend, to know discernment.	3e	4B	7 9
כִּ֤י לֶ֣קַח ט֭וֹב נָתַ֣תִּי לָכֶ֑ם תּֽ֝וֹרָתִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ	2	C	For good tuition I have given for you. My instruction, do not forsake.	3e	4C	9 8
כִּי־בֵ֭ן הָיִ֣יתִי לְאָבִ֑י רַ֥ךְ וְ֝יָחִ֗יד לִפְנֵ֥י אִמִּֽי	3		For a child I was of my father, tender and unique, facing my mother.	3e	4B	8 8
וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֗י יִֽתְמָךְ־דְּבָרַ֥י לִבֶּ֑ךָ שְׁמֹ֖ר מִצְוֺתַ֣י וֶֽחְיֵֽה	4		And he instructed me, and he said to me, Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments and live.	3e	4B	16 7
קְנֵ֣ה חָ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה בִינָ֑ה אַל־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח וְאַל־תֵּ֝֗ט מֵֽאִמְרֵי־פִֽי	5		Acquire wisdom. Acquire discernment. Do not forget and do not push away from the promises of my mouth.	3e	4B	8 10
אַל־תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ וְתִשְׁמְרֶ֑ךָּ אֱהָבֶ֥הָ וְתִצְּרֶֽךָּ	6		Do not forsake her and she will keep you. Love her and she will preserve you.	3e	4A	10 8
רֵאשִׁ֣ית חָ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה חָכְמָ֑ה וּבְכָל־קִ֝נְיָנְךָ֗ קְנֵ֣ה בִינָֽה	7		The beginning of wisdom? Acquire wisdom. And in all your acquiring, acquire discernment.	3e	4B	8 9
סַלְסְלֶ֥הָ וּֽתְרוֹמְמֶ֑ךָּ תְּ֝כַבֵּ֗דְךָ כִּ֣י תְחַבְּקֶֽנָּה	8		Extol her and celebrate her. She will glorify you that you clasp her.	3e	4B	8 9
תִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭רֹאשְׁךָ לִוְיַת־חֵ֑ן עֲטֶ֖רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת תְּמַגְּנֶֽךָּ	9		She gives for your head a garland of graciousness. With a crown of adornment she will shield you.	3e	4B	8 10
שְׁמַ֣ע בְּ֭נִי וְקַ֣ח אֲמָרָ֑י וְיִרְבּ֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ שְׁנ֣וֹת חַיִּֽים	10		Hear my child and receive my promises, and the years of life will be many for you.	3e	4B	9 9
בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ חָ֭כְמָה הֹרֵתִ֑יךָ הִ֝דְרַכְתִּ֗יךָ בְּמַעְגְּלֵי־יֹֽשֶׁר	11		In the way of wisdom, I have instructed you. I have directed you in the tracks of the upright.	3e	4B	9 9
בְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ לֹא־יֵצַ֣ר צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ וְאִם־תָּ֝ר֗וּץ לֹ֣א תִכָּשֵֽׁל	12		In your walking, your pace will be not troubled, and if you race, you not will stumble.	3e	4B	10 8
הַחֲזֵ֣ק בַּמּוּסָ֣ר אַל־תֶּ֑רֶף נִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָ כִּי־הִ֥יא חַיֶּֽיךָ	13		Be resolute when mentored. Do not slacken. Preserve her, for she is your life.	3e	4B	9 7
בְּאֹ֣רַח רְ֭שָׁעִים אַל־תָּבֹ֑א וְאַל־תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ רָעִֽים	14		In the path of the wicked, do not comply, and do not be happy in the way of evil.	3e	4B	9 10
פְּרָעֵ֥הוּ אַל־תַּעֲבָר־בּ֑וֹ שְׂטֵ֖ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וַעֲבֽוֹר	15		Shun it. Do not pass through it. Veer away from it and pass beyond.	3e	4B	9 8
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ אִם־לֹ֣א יָרֵ֑עוּ וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם אִם־לֹ֥א יַכְשִֽׁילוּ	16	C	For they do not sleep if not they have hurt, and their sleep is robbed, if they have not caused stumbling.	3e	4C	9 12
כִּ֣י לָ֭חֲמוּ לֶ֣חֶם רֶ֑שַׁע וְיֵ֖ין חֲמָסִ֣ים יִשְׁתּֽוּ	17	B	For they partake of the bread of wickedness, and the wine of the violent they imbibe.	3e	4B	8 7
וְאֹ֣רַח צַ֭דִּיקִים כְּא֣וֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָ֝א֗וֹר עַד־נְכ֥וֹן הַיּֽוֹם	18		But the path of the righteous is as illuminating light, walking and enlightening until the established day.	3e	4B	10 9
דֶּ֣רֶךְ רְ֭שָׁעִים כָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑ה לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּמֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ פ	19	B	The way of the wicked is as gloom. They do not know into what they will stumble.	3e	4B	9 10
בְּ֭נִי לִדְבָרַ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י הַט־אָזְנֶֽךָ	20	g	My child, to my words attend, to my promises, bend your ear.	3e	4B	8 8
אַל־יַלִּ֥יזוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ שָׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם בְּת֣וֹךְ לְבָבֶֽךָ	21		Let them not drift away from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.	3e	4B	8 8
כִּֽי־חַיִּ֣ים הֵ֭ם לְמֹצְאֵיהֶ֑ם וּֽלְכָל־בְּשָׂר֥וֹ מַרְפֵּֽא	22		For life they are to those who find them, and to all their flesh, healing.	3e	4B	7 7
מִֽכָּל־מִ֭שְׁמָר נְצֹ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תּוֹצְא֥וֹת חַיִּֽים	23		From any guard preserve your heart, for out of it emerges life.	3e	4B	9 7
הָסֵ֣ר מִ֭מְּךָ עִקְּשׁ֣וּת פֶּ֑ה וּלְז֥וּת שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם הַרְחֵ֥ק מִמֶּֽךָּ	24		Put aside from you a devious mouth, and drifting lips, put at a distance from you.	3e	4B	7 10
עֵ֭ינֶיךָ לְנֹ֣כַח יַבִּ֑יטוּ וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ יַיְשִׁ֥רוּ נֶגְדֶּֽךָ	25	g	Let your eyes, straightforward, take note, and let your eyelids be upright before you.	3e	4B	9 11
פַּ֭לֵּס מַעְגַּ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ יִכֹּֽנוּ	26	g	Level the track for your foot, and all your ways will be established.	3e	4B	7 9
אַֽל־תֵּט־יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול הָסֵ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מֵרָֽע	27		Do not bend right or left. Put aside your foot from evil.	3e	4B	7 7