Proverbs 22

This chapter has lots of good advice that spoke to my concerns as I read it. There are also some favorite ones for those who are convinced by punishment as a model for behaviour. It astonishes me that Christendom should so have emphasized punishment. There is of course no use of that word in Bob's Bible. There are plenty of consequences and there is plenty of violence. But one human punishing another or being punished by G-d is not an option I entertain.

What do I make of violence attributed to G-d? Simply speaking: If it is really G-d, it is not my problem. May be it is just a false attribution of the writer. May be I should interpret it analogically. Definitely it is not a model for imitation as if we and our children could escape the consequences of such action.

Is it possible to have strength and power without self-interest? I don't know. That is supposedly the character of Jesus. His imitators are rare even though those who claim his name are many. I am equally struck by the intellectual, emotional, mental, and psychological violence that is pervasive in our cultures. All those games we play. Perhaps this chapter will help. Plant your foot in gentleness. Do not be impetuous in trade.

You can tell I am not a fan of the King James translation or its recent reception history. The undermining of treachery can take many hundreds of years of human history. Is this Word of God treacherous ground? Yeah bro, if you can't see your own face, it is. Who has a visible face?

Note the three verses beginning on a B. I sense much more coherence in this as a chapter than in many of the other chapters of Proverbs we have done.

Proverbs 22		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
נִבְחָ֣ר שֵׁ֭ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֽוֹב	1		A choice name over riches in abundance, over silver and over gold, good grace.	3e	4B	7 9
עָשִׁ֣יר וָרָ֣שׁ נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ עֹשֵׂ֖ה כֻלָּ֣ם יְהוָֽה	2		One who is rich and one in want have met together. Making all of them is Yahweh.	3e	4B	7 6
עָר֤וּם ׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה וְנִסְתָּ֑ר וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים עָבְר֥וּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ	3		The crafty sees evil and he is hidden, but the simple pass through and are fined.	3e	4C	9 10
עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְכָב֣וֹד וְחַיִּֽים	4	B	A foot planted in gentleness, the fear of Yahweh, riches and glory and life.	3e	4B	9 8
צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שׁוֹמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם	5		Barbs snares in the way of the devious. Who watches for its integrity, keeps its distance from them.	3e	4B	9 8
חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑וֹ גַּ֥ם כִּֽי־יַ֝זְקִ֗ין לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה	6		Dedicate a youth over the mandate of its way, even when it ages it will not turn aside from it.	3e	4B	9 9
עָ֭שִׁיר בְּרָשִׁ֣ים יִמְשׁ֑וֹל וְעֶ֥בֶד לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לְאִ֣ישׁ מַלְוֶֽה	7	g	One who is rich governs against those in want, and the borrower is slave to each lender.	3e	4B	7 9
זוֹרֵ֣עַ עַ֭וְלָה יִקְצָר־אָ֑וֶן וְשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָת֣וֹ יִכְלֶֽה	8		One who sows injustice will harvest mischief, and the sceptre of its fury will faint.	3e	4B	9 8
טֽוֹב־עַ֭יִן ה֣וּא יְבֹרָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־נָתַ֖ן מִלַּחְמ֣וֹ לַדָּֽל	9		A good eye, it will be blessed, for it gives from its bread to the weak.	3e	4B	6 7
גָּ֣רֵֽשׁ לֵ֭ץ וְיֵצֵ֣א מָד֑וֹן וְ֝יִשְׁבֹּ֗ת דִּ֣ין וְקָלֽוֹן	10	B	Expel scorn and dissension will go out, and sentence and disgrace will cease.	3e	4B	8 7
אֹהֵ֥ב טְהָר־לֵ֑ב חֵ֥ן שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו רֵעֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ	11		Who loves a clean heart, gracious are its lips, its associate, sovereign.	3e	4A	5 9
עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה נָ֣צְרוּ דָ֑עַת וַ֝יְסַלֵּ֗ף דִּבְרֵ֥י בֹגֵֽד	12		The eyes of Yahweh preserve knowledge, and he undermines words of treachery.	3e	4B	8 7
אָמַ֣ר עָ֭צֵל אֲרִ֣י בַח֑וּץ בְּת֥וֹךְ רְ֝חֹב֗וֹת אֵֽרָצֵֽחַ	13		Says a sluggard, Lion outside. In the midst of the piazzas I will be murdered.	3e	4B	8 9
שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקָּה פִּ֣י זָר֑וֹת זְע֥וּם יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִפָּל־שָֽׁם	14		A deep ditch, the mouth of strange women, the indignation of Yahweh will fall there.	3e	4B	8 7
אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־נָ֑עַר שֵׁ֥בֶט מ֝וּסָ֗ר יַרְחִיקֶ֥נָּה מִמֶּֽנּוּ	15	g	Foolishness fastened in the heart of youth, a sceptre of mentoring puts it at a distance.	3e	4B	10 11
עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְהַרְבּ֣וֹת ל֑וֹ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר	16	B	Who oppresses the weak to increase itself, who gives to the rich, surely will be deprived.	3e	4B	7 9
הַ֥ט אָזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי	17	f	Bend your ear and hear the words of the shrewd, and your heart you will set to my knowledge.	3e	4B	11 8
כִּֽי־נָ֭עִים כִּֽי־תִשְׁמְרֵ֣ם בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ יִכֹּ֥נוּ יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו עַל־שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ	18		For it is pleasant that you keep them in your belly. They will be established unified on your lips.	3e	4B	10 10
לִהְי֣וֹת בַּ֭יהוָה מִבְטַחֶ֑ךָ הוֹדַעְתִּ֖יךָ הַיּ֣וֹם אַף־אָֽתָּה	19		That in Yahweh will be your trust, I have made known to you today, indeed you.	3e	4B	8 9
הֲלֹ֤א כָתַ֣בְתִּי לְ֭ךָ שָׁלִישִׁ֑ים בְּמ֖וֹעֵצֹ֣ת וָדָֽעַת	20		Have I not written for you thirty things, in counsel and knowledge?	3e	4C	10 7
לְהוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ קֹ֭שְׁטְ אִמְרֵ֣י אֱמֶ֑ת לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרִ֥ים אֱ֝מֶ֗ת לְשֹׁלְחֶֽיךָ	21		That I might have you know the certainty of the promises of truth, to return the promises of truth to those who send to you.	3e	4B	11 12
אַֽל־תִּגְזָל־דָּ֭ל כִּ֣י דַל־ה֑וּא וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּ֖א עָנִ֣י בַשָּֽׁעַר	22		Do not rob the weak because it is weak, and do not crush the impoverished by the gate.	3e	4B	7 10
כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יָרִ֣יב רִיבָ֑ם וְקָבַ֖ע אֶת־קֹבְעֵיהֶ֣ם נָֽפֶשׁ	23		For Yahweh will strive their strife, and defraud the integrity of those who defraud them.	3e	4B	8 9
אַל־תִּ֭תְרַע אֶת־בַּ֣עַל אָ֑ף וְאֶת־אִ֥ישׁ חֵ֝מוֹת לֹ֣א תָבֽוֹא	24		Do not befriend the owner of anger, and with a poisonous person do not go.	3e	4B	7 8
פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַ֥ף אֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו וְלָקַחְתָּ֖ מוֹקֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשֶֽׁךָ	25		Lest you be educated in its paths, and receive a trap to your integrity.	3e	4B	7 10
אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְתֹֽקְעֵי־כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֽוֹת	26		Do not be one who sounds the slap of a palm, by giving surety for claims.	3e	4A	7 6
אִם־אֵֽין־לְךָ֥ לְשַׁלֵּ֑ם לָ֥מָּה יִקַּ֥ח מִ֝שְׁכָּבְךָ֗ מִתַּחְתֶּֽיךָ	27		If there is nothing for you to pay, why should someone take your litter from under you?	3e	4A	7 11
אַל־תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עוֹלָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבוֹתֶֽיךָ	28		Do not relocate the border of eras past, that your ancestors dealt with.	3e	4B	7 8
חָזִ֡יתָ אִ֤ישׁ ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹ לִֽפְנֵֽי־מְלָכִ֥ים יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵ֥י חֲשֻׁכִּֽים	29		You gaze on someone impetuous in its trade? In the face of sovereigns it may be stationed. It will not be stationed in the face of dark places.	3e	4C	18 9