This entry begins with GCC's Thursday Bible study lead by Pastor Chris. I shall do some in-depth study.
A proverb is called a parable in Greek and a simile in Latin (Bede)
The fear of God can dissolve our human pride (Augustine), practice of self-restraint (Clement of Alexandria)
Chapter 1
Two kinds of fear used here: פּחד (pachad, negative form, dread, v.26,27,33), יראה (yirah, positive, fear of God, reverence, v.7,29)
v.2: For wisdom & instruction (智慧和训诲), to understand words of insight (分辨通达的言语).
v.3: Instructions in doing: wisdom, righteousness (tsedeq צדק), judgment/justice(mishpat משׁפּט), equity/uprightness. (智慧、仁义、公平、正直)
v.4: to the youth: knowledge & discretion/plot 知识和谋略 (mezimmah מזמּה)
v.5: ...wise counsels (tachbulah תּחבּלה) 智谋 (management of ship's ropes, government)
v.7: Here it begins the negative: fools despise wisdom and instruction.
My son...
v.8: Father's instruction, listen; Mother's torah/law/teaching, forsake not. Forsake not = leaning towards memorization of the law; listen = pondering/theologize/deep thinking the instruction. Father/mother is more about honoring thy father and mother here, and less to do with God the Father/church, but the latter view is not uncommon among church fathers (Didymus the Blind, Bede, etc.). The two advice will be your...
v.9: ...头上的华冠 (garland of grace: head)，项上的金链 (necklace: neck). Instruction becomes reputation/glory, torah/teaching becomes guided, delicate beauty.
My son...
v.10: Consent not: Before rejecting/not standing in the way of sinners, recognize first their enticement.
v.11: Lay in wait, lurk privily, reminiscent of Psalm 10:8. But this is not just about the most wicked whom even the pagans and secular could identify, this is also about those who think they are justified for taking advantage of the weak and poor, they think they are justified because they believe they have exercised their version of the law, as if they are on the righteous side and assumed the losers to the deal they craftily made with them are due to their own stupidity and not the slyness of the contract drafters.
v.13-14: This enticement is motivated by the strength in majority. A self-centered one. So it is not about trickery against the weak, as many would think they are justified for not following down this path. But it is about whether the ultimate goal is a self-centered one or not: We, our, join us.
My son...
v.15: from not consenting (v.10) to walk not in their footsteps. First it's outward relational (consent between two people, joining with sinners), now it's inward relational (self contemplation vs. curiosity, considering the ways of sinners).
v.17-19 is interesting. For the English versions all agree that it is in vain to throw the net by announcing first to your prey that you will throw the net. The Chinese version however, 网罗设在眼前仍不躲避, meaning even in the face of danger, one still lives in ignorant. Though I lean towards the English, but the meaning of the Chinese is not completely off rail. The Chinese calls them fools who fail to see the judgment of God in their selfishness. However, the Chinese is turning this into inconsistency. It makes more sense for the agents that cast the net are the sinners themselves, and neither Satan nor God. As shown in v.18. And v.19 concluded this a greediness.
Wisdom personified (v.20-33):
v.20-25: reminiscent of Jesus crying against the ignorant ones often times. (Chorazin & Bethsaida in Matthew 11:21, Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37)
v.26-32: Consequence of sinners. Wisdom/the Lord, turning away from the fools.
v.28: The sinners are smart enough to realize they need help, but the Lord/Wisdom is not there.
v.29: The cause of the rejection by the Lord/Wisdom is not because the sinners were too late, but because of the lack of fear of YHWH, which is the requirement for the beginning of the knowledge that they hate. Interesting, that the author placed knowledge before fear here. So there's a circular causation here: True love for knowledge will bring one to the fear of the Lord, which would in turn increase in knowledge. Thus, those who fear the Lord, already loved knowledge to begin with.
v.32: Complacency of fools (愚顽人安逸) is interestingly added. For here it seems to allude to the fact that wickedness is not just those who are satisfied in their wickedness, but satisfied also in their peacefulness, prosperity, etc. in a selfish way. Such is folly.
v.33: ...dwell secure, at ease, without dread of disaster (必安然居住，得享安静，不怕灾祸). Without fear of harm doesn't necessarily just mean no temporal challenge will come, but this challenge is nothing to be feared for. So first, wisdom takes us away from intentionally walking into harm's way, but it also place our mind in the fear of eternal God instead of the dread of temporal harm.
Chapter 2
My son...
v.1-5: Reiterating 1:29's circular causation, starting with seeking and cherishing the father's commandments to wisdom, resulting in the true fear of the Lord, getting true knowledge, that of God.
Chapter 3
v.31 "Do not envy a man of violence..." ESV. For his happiness comes in falsehood and its days are numbered.
v32 "...but his secret is with the righteous" KJV or "the upright are in his confidence" ESV. God is willing to reveal His secret to his servants and prophets (Amos 3:7, Job 29:4). Such is the Gospel (~Gill).
v.33 curse is on the house of the wicked (1 Samuel 5: The Philistines took the ark and were struck with illness); Obed-Edom had the ark and was blessed (2 Samuel 6). The very blessings of the wicked are curses (Gill).
v.34 on the humble: "those who are made truly sensible of sin and lie low in their own sight on account of it...submit to the righteousness of Christ...own the deficiency of their duties...think the worst of themselves and the best of others...patient under every adverse dispensation of Providence, God first gives grace to these...to make them thus humble and lowly which they are not naturally, and then more grace - James 4:6, " ~Gill.
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
v.1: This security, some call it a vouching, we can also consider this as a kind of recommendation, putting our reputation on the line for someone.
verses 6-11 (lazy/no initiatives) should contrast the first 5 verses (over initiatives).
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
v.31: Christ loves to dwell among His people, His brothers. Stephen Tong links those who see this wisdom (敬虔的奥秘 mystery of godliness: incarnation, virgin birth, union of two natures ~ Gill) are those living in godliness, 1Tim 3:16: