Глава 24

1–2. A warning against imitating wicked people. 3–6. Praise for wisdom and its beneficial effects. 7–10. Against stupidity, deceit, etc. 11–12. An exhortation to defend those sentenced to death. 13–14. An exhortation to strive for wisdom. 15–18. Against deceit and gloating. 19–22. A call for generosity and a warning against association with rebels. 23–29. A warning against partiality, partiality and untruth. 30–34. A depiction of the fatality of laziness and its consequences. Proverbs 24:1. Don't be jealous of evil people and don't want to be with them, Proverbs 24:2. because their heart thinks of violence, and their mouth speaks of evil. The thought of these verses represents the unfolding of Proverbs 23.17. Proverbs 24:3. By wisdom a house is built and by reason it is established, Proverbs 24:4. and with skill his insides are filled with all precious and beautiful possessions. Proverbs 24:5. A wise man is strong, and a wise man strengthens his strength. Proverbs 24:6. Therefore, wage your war with deliberation, and success will come with many consultations. In contrast to wickedness, wisdom-piety for its owners is combined with various kinds of material benefits - in everyday life at home (vv. 3-4) and in public life, for example, in military affairs (vv. 5-6). Proverbs 24:7. Wisdom is too high for a fool; he will not open his mouth at the gate. Proverbs 24:8. Whoever plans to do evil is called an evildoer. Proverbs 24:9. The thought of stupidity is a sin, and a blasphemer is an abomination to people. A stupid and wicked person, on the contrary, is powerless and helpless when he has to take part in any social activity; all his energy is directed to insidious plans (v. 8) and is all exhausted by acts sinful before God and vile before people (v. 9). Proverbs 24:10. If you were weak on the day of disaster, then your strength is poor. Proverbs 24:11. Save those taken to death, and will you really refuse those doomed to be killed? Proverbs 24:12. Will you say: “Behold, we did not know this”? But doesn’t He who searches the heart know? He who watches over your soul knows this, and will reward a person according to his deeds. Wisdom has the art of saving oneself (v. 10) and others, even from extreme disasters (v. 11), and the always possible egoistic excuse of a hard heart, “I don’t know such and such, therefore, I am free from responsibilities towards him,” is eliminated and refuted - by pointing to the all-seeing and all-encompassing Providence of God, before which no one will be justified if he allows his fellow men to perish. In explanation of the instruction of verse 11, some pointed to the rabbinical-Talmudic rules, which obligated every person who knew anything to justify a person condemned to death to certainly come forward with his testimony (Mishna, Sanhedrin VI, 1). But it is unlikely that this custom already took place in the biblical era; moreover, the instruction of Art. 11 applies not only to judicial cases, but also has a broader scope, relating to all kinds of cases of mortal danger to neighbors. Proverbs 24:13. Eat, my son, honey, for it is pleasant, and honeycomb, which is sweet to your throat: Proverbs 24:14. such is the knowledge of wisdom for your soul. If you have found it, then there is a future, and your hope is not lost. Wisdom in its saving fruits is like the sweetness and benefits of honey; and these fruits not only affect the present, but also reach the limits of the future (v. 14, fn. Proverbs 23.18). Proverbs 24:15. Do not plot, O wicked one, against the dwelling of the righteous, do not devastate his resting place, Proverbs 24:16. For a righteous man will fall seven times and rise again; but the wicked will fall into destruction. Proverbs 24:17. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles. Proverbs 24:18. Otherwise, the Lord will see, and it will be displeasing in His sight, and He will turn away His anger from him. During the misfortunes of the righteous and the wicked, it is suggested to pay attention to the final outcome, which is different for some and other sufferings (v. 16). At the same time, a warning is given against gloating to the enemy during his misfortune, since this is displeasing to the Lord (vv. 17–18, sn. Proverbs 18.5). Proverbs 24:19. Do not be indignant at the evildoers and do not envy the wicked, Proverbs 24:20. Because the evil one has no future, the lamp of the wicked will go out. Proverbs 24:21. Fear, my son, the Lord and the king; do not communicate with rebels, Proverbs 24:22. because destruction will suddenly come from them, and who can foreknow the disaster from both of them? The instruction is repeated (cf. v. 1) - not to envy the wicked (see 19), since their final fate will be bleak (v. 20, cf. Proverbs 13.9). In conclusion, the fear of God is indicated, but at the same time, with the actual fear of God, the fear of the king is also prescribed, as the representative of the rule of God in the society of people (vv. 21–23, sn. 1 Pet 2.17; Rom 13.2). Proverbs 24:23. It was also said by the wise: it is not good to show partiality in court. Proverbs 24:24. He who says to the guilty: “You are right,” will be cursed by the nations, will be hated by the tribes; Proverbs 24:25. and those who reprove will be loved, and blessing will come to them. Proverbs 24:26. He kisses the lips of those who answer with true words. Proverbs 24:27. Do your work outside the house, finish it in your field, and then build your house. Proverbs 24:28. Do not be a false witness against your neighbor: why should you deceive with your mouth? Proverbs 24:29. Do not say: “As he did to me, so I will do to him; I will repay a man according to his deeds.” A new group of sayings “Mudra x” begins with a condemnation of partiality (vv. 23–24), for which the curse of nations is threatened: the perversion of truth and justice in court everywhere serves as a source of destruction for the well-being of nations. On the contrary, integrity and faithfulness in words, judgments and deeds are highly commended (vv. 25-25, fn. 28). The other two instructions in this section are one of a practical nature: before the internal improvement of the home and family, it is necessary to arrange the very outer side of life - field and household management (v. 27), the others are purely moral, and, moreover, with the character of gospel purity and height: one should not repay evil for evil (v. 29, fn. Proverbs 17.13). Proverbs 24:30. I passed by the field of a lazy man and the vineyard of a feeble-minded man: Proverbs 24:31. and behold, all this was overgrown with thorns, its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone fence collapsed. Proverbs 24:32. And I looked, and turned my heart, and looked and received a lesson: Proverbs 24:33. “You’ll sleep a little, take a nap, lie down a little with your hands folded,” Proverbs 24:34. and your poverty will come like a man passing by, and your need like a man armed.” The harmful effects of laziness are illustrated by the state of the lazy man's field and vineyard. This is not an allegory of spiritual licentiousness, as some interpreters have believed, but a direct depiction of the vice of sloth with its disastrous consequences - a lesson drawn by the Wise from experimental observation (v. 32). Art. 33–34 represent a reproduction of Proverbs 6.10–11. You might be interested in: