Original Meaning
THIS CHAPTER BEGINS with a contrast between the wise and foolish woman, a contrast similar to that made earlier between personified Wisdom and Folly. This allusion to the conclusion of the instructions in Proverbs 9 suggests that we are entering the conclusion of another lesson or section.1 This allusion also alerts us to look for other references to the speeches of Wisdom and her antitype, Folly. The prominence of the phrase “the fear of the LORD” (14:2, 16, 27; cf. 9:10) leads the reader back to Wisdom’s calls to her feast of knowledge (1:20–33; 9:1–12). The rejection of that invitation again is characterized as the mocker (14:6, 9; cf. 9:7–8; 13:1).
A number of words repeat themselves throughout the chapter, so it is not possible to propose an outline that highlights them all. The following outline is offered to help us see the flow of the chapter and its most significant repetitions:
The wise and foolish compared (14:1–7)
The prudent and foolish compared (14:8–15)
Fear of Yahweh, life, and refuge (14:16–27)
Kings, subjects, and servants2 (14:28–35)
The Wise and Foolish Compared (14:1–7)
VERSES 1 AND 3 go together as signaled by the repetition of “wise” and “fool/foolish”; the difference between the two is explained in verse 2.3
14:1. The contrast here between building and tearing down sums up the sages’ view of life’s choices. Although we all make foolish choices and slap our foreheads from time to time, the sages speak here of our main direction in life, the point on the horizon that we set our sails to reach. As we imagine this wise woman building a house with her hands, attentive readers are drawn to the description of 9:1, that Wisdom has “built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.” In fact, the first line is nearly identical to that of 9:1, but here it is “a wise woman” who builds the house. We may have a transition to the human appropriation of Wisdom’s example (cf. 24:3–4; 31:21, 27).4 The word for “tears down” is used in 11:11 for the city overthrown by the mouth of the wicked (see also “build up” and “tear down” in Jer. 1:10; 24:6; 42:10; 45:4).
14:2. The walk of the wise in 13:20 is here shown to be both upright and God-fearing. The contrast with the fool who “despises” (bwz; cf. 1:7) sounds like the prologue, but here the proverb makes explicit that this decision rejects Yahweh, who offers wisdom. We will see that the phrase “the fear of the LORD” occurs more often at the beginning and end of sections in Proverbs, and there are twice as many occurrences in the first half as in the second half of the book. The verbal form “fears the LORD” repeats in 14:16 (cf. 3:7), and two proverbs concerning “the fear of the LORD” show up at 14:26–27.
14:3. The contrast between a fool’s “talk” (lit., “mouth”) and a wise person’s “lips” is linked to their rewards, punishment, or protection. The phrase translated “rod to his back” can also be rendered as “rod of pride.” Whereas the rod is the parent’s responsibility in 13:24, here it is the consequence of the fool’s choice.
14:4. Another metaphoric proverb that stands out from its context reminds the reader of others (10:26; 11:22); the “abundant harvest” echoes that of the poor farmer of 13:23. Translation of the word “empty” or “clean” is difficult. Garrett proposes “grain,” so that the line reads, “No oxen, a crib of grain.” That is, if you have no ox, you will have more grain in the crib to feed the smaller livestock. But the point of the contrast is that it costs grain to keep an ox, but with the ox there is a greater return on the investment. What is the “crib”—a feeding trough or a storage place? Most agree it is the feeder, so that the empty crib means one has no oxen to feed.5
Either way, it is clearly better to have an ox in order to increase harvest, even if it requires some investment in feed. Today, we would speak of operating expenses and the fact that one must spend money to make money. The metaphor also speaks a word of humility, for as one needs the help of the ox to produce a harvest, so one needs the help of wisdom to succeed in life.
14:5. The theme of speaking continues from 14:3, but here the issue is lying and bearing false witness (cf. Ex. 20:16); this proverb contrasts false and faithful witnesses (cf. Prov. 12:17; 13:5). The false witness is (lit.) a “lie breather” or one who “breathes out lies” (cf. 14:25; also 6:19; 12:17; 19:5, 9). The false witness is like a club or sharp arrow (25:18); in a legal setting, that person will do great harm.
14:6. Verses 6–9 may be gathered around the inclusio of the “mocker,” a key word in wisdom’s speeches (leṣ, 9:7–8, 12). Verses 6–7 are paired around the lack of wisdom in the mocker and the fool, linked by the catchword “knowledge.” Clearly the “seeking” of the mocker is a pretense, much like that of the one who feigns riches in 13:7. By comparison, knowledge comes quickly and easily to the one who has cultivated discernment (cf. nabon in 14:33), for it is this quality that the mocker lacks.
14:7. This proverb depicts another frustrated search for wisdom, linked with the previous verse; if mockers have not found wisdom, neither will knowledge be found with the fool. The company of fools has already been called harmful (13:20). “Lips” links the saying with 14:3 and continues the theme of foolish talk. “Walk” makes a contrast with the upright walk of 14:2. Woman Folly is also without knowledge (cf. 9:13); it is notable that she calls to those going on their “way” (derek in 14:2, 8, 12, 14). Once again, the proverbs recognize that the company one keeps will have its influence. Taken together, one can learn better alone than with the help of a fool.
The Prudent and Foolish Compared (14:8–15)
THE FIRST AND last verses of this section examine the wisdom of the “prudent” (ʿarum) and may form a chiastic pattern6 held together by the catchwords “upright” (14:9, 11, 12), “heart” (14:10, 13, 14), and “way” (14:12, 14).7 These proverbs develop the theme that appearances are not always as they seem, so that those who choose folly deceive no one but themselves.
14:8. The contrast in this saying between the “wisdom of the prudent” and the “folly of fools” (cf. 14:24) is completed with an unexpected contrast between thoughtful consideration of the way one walks and deception. Both are key themes in this chapter (“way,” 14:2, 12, 14; “deceit,” 14:2, 5, 25), and the combination here suggests that those who give thought to their way practice honesty in their words and deeds.
14:9. Verses 9 and 10 bring together two different thoughts about community. Even while the goodwill of people who seek peace is to be preferred to mocking, there is still an element of loneliness that comes to all. In verse 9, the contrast stands between a scornful attitude toward reconciliation and a way of life that rarely needs it. The “goodwill” of the second line may refer to God’s “favor” (raṣon, so NRSV), leading some to suggest that God mocks the fools with guilt.8 The TNK takes the Hebrew ʾašam to mean that fools have to pay guilt offering money to maintain good relations: “Reparations mediate between fools; between the upright, good will.” Ross nicely paraphrases, “Folly offends, but wisdom makes amends.”9
14:10. This proverb is one of five sayings in this chapter about the “heart” (leb; cf. 14:13–14, 30, 33) and presents a rare picture of the inner life and emotions (cf. 14:13; the heart typically is recognized as the seat of intentions). All of life’s experiences of bitterness and joy are depicted; the second line intensifies the idea of the first (“no one” is [lit.] “no stranger”). The saying appears to counterbalance the picture of communal harmony of 14:9. Even if it is good when brothers and sisters dwell in unity (Ps. 133:1), our inner lives are finally our own. Even while our lives are shared with others, our deepest thoughts and feelings remain hidden. Only God ultimately knows what is in the heart (Prov. 17:3; 21:2; 24:12).
This verse stands out as unusual, both in its lack of contrast and in its exploration of a psychological matter. It makes no prescription, but its observation does offer the reader wisdom to carry on through life. The saying illustrates how deceptive appearances can be, for there is always more than meets the eye.
14:11. The Hebrew word for “flourish” typically refers to plants that sprout or bud, but it also describes the increase of God’s people, both Israel (Isa. 27:6) and the righteous (Ps. 72:7; 92:12–13; Prov. 11:28).10 “House” and “tent” are paired as synonyms, not as contrasts; instead, “house” reminds the reader of 14:1 and the similar contrast between building and destroying.
14:12. Verses 12 and 13 are linked by the catchword “end” (ʾaḥarit). Another contrast of appearance and reality, the key word “way” points to the choices that require foresight, while the “end” describes outcomes, rewards, and reality. The contrast between that which “seems right” (yšr; cf. 14:2, 9, 11 with overtones of “straight”) and the actual end of “death” reminds the reader of wisdom’s words (8:36; 9:18). This saying is repeated in 16:25. A somewhat different contrast is found in 12:15: “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.”
14:13. The “heart” sayings (cf. 14:10, 14, 30, 33) taken alone offer a picture of the inner emotional life, but in context of this chapter, they urge us to take what we see of external appearances with a grain of salt. Facades fall, and time brings changes. This famous proverb is intended to be read in association with 14:12, as the repetition of its “end” in Hebrew (ʾaḥarit) indicates. The two parts of the saying embrace the whole of human experience: Laughter may hide present heartache, while joy may in time be replaced by grief. When read alongside 14:10, the first and second lines correspond—the first on the theme of inner hurt, the second on the word “joy.” Together they show how even joy has its costs; sometimes joy must remain private and hidden, and often it is temporary.
14:14. The “faithless” are (lit.) “those whose hearts have turned,” linking this proverb with the heart saying in 14:13. In the book and in this chapter in particular, there are at least two uses of the word “heart,” one for the seat of intentions (as here) and another as the seat of emotions and secret thoughts (vv. 10, 13). It is not clear if a cause-and-effect relationship between intentions and emotions is intended. The key word “way” suggests that this verse also be read with verse 12 as a reflection on final outcomes; the two serve as a frame that complements the long-term viewpoint of verse 13.11 The word “good” links this verse with 14:19 and 22 and may mark a structure.12
14:15. This proverb bears striking similarity to 14:8, indicated by repetition of “consider” (ʿarum), “gives thought” (yabin), and “steps” (ʾašur; derek, “way” in v. 8). If the folly of fools deceives, one can always find people who are easy to deceive, especially the “simple” who have not learned to distinguish wisdom from folly or right from wrong. These are the naive people that Wisdom tried so desperately to reach (9:4, 16), but Folly was never far away, mimicking Wisdom’s call as she followed it with lies (9:13–18). By contrast, “prudent” people do their own thinking and can discern what is true. The “prudent” and the “simple” appear again in 14:18.
Fear of Yahweh, Life, and Refuge (14:16–27)
THIS UNIT IS framed by the phrase “fear of the LORD” and centers on the theme of reward for righteousness, especially that of honorable standing. The “fear of the LORD” proverbs that conclude this unit promise life and security (vv. 26–27).
14:16. Verses 16–17 are linked by images of hair-trigger temper and folly, and they are framed by the simple/prudent distinction in 14:15 and 18. If prudent persons consider their steps (v. 15), they turn from evil (v. 16). The two words that describe the fool do not give themselves easily to translation. (1) “Hotheaded” describes the fool who “meddles” in a quarrel (26:17); the NRSV has “throws off restraint” for this impulsive person. Setting the term in contrast with “fear” in the first line, this person knows no fear but should, for there is a difference between those who consider what they are doing and those who simply react. Egyptian wisdom literature held up the “silent man” as more mature than the “heated man,” who could always be counted on to blurt out anger and folly. (2) “Reckless” translates the Hebrew word for “trusting” or confident, as in trusting in Yahweh (but see 11:28; 28:6, where it is used for trusting in riches and self). Some translators use “arrogant and overconfident” for the pair.
14:17. The comparison here is between one who does foolish things on impulse and one who does evil that has been carefully planned and premeditated, a product of scheming. Both ends of the temperament spectrum lead to bad ends. The intended message of the contrast may be that as bad as rash and foolish behavior is, it can be forgiven more easily than premeditated wrong. The word “hated” (yiśśaneʾ ) appears again in 14:20, translated as “shunned.”
14:18. The “simple” and “prudent” of 14:15 reappear, this time receiving the consequences for the choices they made; the simple receive folly as an heirloom while the prudent “are crowned with knowledge.” The crown here is more a decoration of valor than a sign of rule. Some propose to emend “inherit folly” to something like “adornment” or “ornament,” but strong support is lacking.13 In both lines of the saying, the rewards not only correspond to the qualities of “folly” and “prudence,” they foster and nurture them. The terms remind the reader of the prologue and the speeches of personified Wisdom in chapter 1.
14:19. The only righteous/wicked saying in the chapter, this contrast is again between rewards, using the familiar image of the good serving the evil (cf. 14:14, 22). The word for “bow down” (šaḥu) reminds the reader of Joseph’s brothers, who bowed before him when they met in Egypt. The proverb and its imagery offer hope to those who too often see the good bowing down before the power of an evil person.
14:20. Verses 20 and 21 are linked by the repetition of the word “neighbor” and the theme of the “poor” and “needy.” When read together, the main contrast is between the self-interested love shown to the rich and the selfless kindness shown to the poor. The contrast in verse 20 points up the inequity; the poor who need friends have none, while those who need little have many. This sharp critique is heightened by the use of the word “neighbor.” In ancient Israel, neighbor love included leaving the edges of one’s field for gleaning, honest and just dealing, and correction (Lev. 19:9–19). Jesus called anyone who has need a deserving “neighbor” (Luke 10:25–37).
The word “shunned” (śnʾ ) is the same word for the crafty who are “hated” (14:17). The two proverbs point out the irony that we “hate” schemers, yet at the same time we can love the rich and shun the poor, perhaps because we have not looked more closely at our inconsistencies. Other sayings about riches make the dispassionate observation that wealth brings with it the promise of security (10:15) and friends (19:4, 6), even while these benefits may be short-lived.
14:21. The implicit point of 14:20 is spelled out here, that it is “sin” to “despise” one’s “neighbor” by failing to help in time of need (the word “despise” is used in 14:2 for rejecting Yahweh and his way). Verses 2 and 21 are similar in intent and should be read together, as if to say that to despise one’s neighbor is to despise Yahweh. The saying turns the focus away from the experience of the poor in 14:20 to the responsibility of those who help or fail them. The rich may have many friends, but the one who is kind is “blessed” or happy (ʾašre). The theme of kindness to the needy is picked up in 14:31.
14:22. The last of the “good” sayings in this chapter (cf. 14:14, 19, 22) pairs good and evil in a contrast similar to 14:19. Those who plan evil are rewarded with going astray (cf. 7:25; 10:17; 12:26), so it is better to plan for good and enjoy its return in love and faithfulness. The Hebrew of the second line can also be read, “But love and faithfulness, those who plan good.” The NIV footnote presents the option of “show love and faithfulness,” consistent with other uses of the pair in Proverbs (ḥesed we ʾemet, 3:3; 20:28). The ambiguity may be intentional, that those who show these qualities receive their fruits in turn.
14:23. Verses 23–25 are linked by a theme; work brings wealth and even saves life, while mere talk or foolish talk only produces more of the same. The progression of ideas is similar to that found in 14:3–5. In 14:23 the contrast of mere talk and effort (with overtones of toil and sorrow; cf. ʾeṣeb in 10:22) is that of intention and follow through, emptiness and payoff.
14:24. As proof of 14:23, one only needs to look at the wealth of those wise enough to see the difference between talk and action; fools who cannot are left with the foolishness they began with. See 14:8 for another pairing of wisdom with the “folly of fools”; there, each quality is described, while here the focus is on reward, for like 14:23 the proverb ends with pockets empty. The image of a crown as a symbol of honor is associated with wisdom in 1:9 and 4:9.
14:25. In words similar to those of 14:5, this version of the saying contrasts the deception of the “false witness” with the result of the “truthful witness,” the saving of life. The story of Naboth’s vineyard reminds us of the death-dealing false witness. Are we to take a lesson here about the deadly power of lies? In a court of law we depend on the truthful witness to free innocent people, but there is more to the saying. Kidner takes it as a character sketch: “A man who will trim the facts for you will trim them as easily against you.”14 Therefore, “truthful” (ʾemet) can also be translated “faithful.”
14:26. Linked together by the phrase “the fear of the LORD,” verses 26–27 depict the results and benefits of this basic orientation to life. All four images correspond to the life-saving power of truth in 14:25; “the fear of the LORD” is a “secure fortress,” “a refuge,” “a fountain of life . . . that turns from death.” The “fortress” is a confidence or reliance in which one trusts (the word is derived from betaḥ, “trust”). There is no contrast in this proverb, for the one who “fears the LORD” finds protection for self and for children. Given the dangers coming from those who plan evil and lie (14:22–25), a refuge that includes one’s offspring, either as members of the household or as heirs who will benefit from an ancestor’s trust and virtue, is even more welcome.15
14:27. This saying is virtually identical with 13:14, except that there the “teaching of the wise” is “a fountain of life”; here it is the “fear of the LORD,” the attitude that makes one teachable. Fear of Yahweh is also one of the outcomes of such teaching. The contrast between life and death is familiar, but the surprise comes with the imagery. To animals, the difference between a spring of water and a net is life and death, but the human capacity to worship actually turns us from one to the other.
Kings, Subjects, and Servants (14:28–35)
TWO SAYINGS ABOUT the king form the outer edges of what may be a chiasm:
A v. 28 King’s glory
B v. 29 Exalt [root rwm] folly
C v. 30 Heart at peace gives life
D vv. 31–32 Sayings on treatment and reward
C′ v. 33 Heart a home for wisdom
B′ v. 34 Exalt [root rwm] a nation
A′ v. 35 King’s delight
Of special interest is the appearance of royal proverbs, for each of the sayings in this section can apply to the responsibilities of monarch and the character qualities that are required. The last previous mention of kings in the book came in 8:15: “By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just.” From here on royal proverbs will continue to appear, often juxtaposed with sayings about “the LORD” (yhwh). The heaviest concentration comes at the start of the synonymous proverbs in chapter 16.
14:28. This saying is reminiscent of the ox in 14:4; one cannot claim to be much without acknowledging outside help. The larger the kingdom, the larger the wealth and status, but the second line turns the observation around to show that even a ruler’s power is dependent on the quality of relationships in the kingdom. The contrast between many and none raises the question: How does a king lose subjects? The proverbs that follow answer the question. “Glory” translates a rare word typically used of Yahweh, leading readers to look for associations of God and king (Ps. 29:2; 96:9; cf. 1 Chron. 16:29; 2 Chron. 20:21, “splendor of his holiness”).
14:29. A variation on 14:17, this proverb can be translated, “Long of nose/nostrils, great understanding; short of spirit/breath, one who exalts folly.” The Hebrew word for anger describes a nose that grows hot (perhaps like that of an enraged bull); one short of nose or spirit is “quick-tempered” and associated with folly (cf. 14:17). If it is hard to believe that one displays wisdom by holding one’s temper, the reverse picture of uncontrolled anger is certainly convincing.
14:30. Health or healing is mentioned once in every chapter from chapters 12–15 (12:18; 13:17; 14:30; 15:4). The contrast between a heart of “peace” (lit., “healing,” marpeʾ ) and “envy” (where passion and jealousy meet) is between that which promotes life and that which takes it. In this way, the thought is similar to that of 14:27, here focused on the virtue of contentment. Its lack can lead to intentions that ultimately bring death. Given the picture of the interior life offered in earlier proverbs about the heart (14:10, 13), it appears that the ancients knew that jealousy, passion, and envy eat one from the inside out, thus rotting the bones (cf. 6:34; 27:4).16
14:31. The final proverb of this chapter about “the poor” makes explicit what earlier sayings only implied (14:20–21), that mistreatment of the poor is equal to insulting the one who made them and cares for them. To honor the poor is to honor God, and this may be the “plan for good” of 14:22. To insult God is similar to “despising” him (cf. 14:2). Reading them together, we surmise that it is the absence of fear of Yahweh that gives a person the temerity to oppress the poor whom God loves. A similar idea appears in 17:5.
14:32. Verses 32 and 33 both present translation difficulties, in part because the literal reading of the Hebrew text produces meanings at odds with the general tenor of Proverbs. Death is always negative, and wisdom is never found with fools, yet in these sayings both assumptions seem to be contradicted.17 Might it be that we have here a puzzle to solve, especially since it happens not once but twice, and that near the center of a chiastic structure? If so, we look to see that the surprise yields deeper insight. Verse 32 repeats the image of “refuge” from 14:26; here also the righteous are protected from the “calamity” that brings down the wicked. “The righteous have a refuge,” presumably in God, that even death cannot shake.18 Some interpreters follow the LXX and replace “death” with “integrity” (so NRSV), but the evidence is not compelling.19
14:33. The image of personified Wisdom “reposing” or being “at home” (so NRSV, nuaḥ; lit., “lodging”) in the “heart” of a person may link the heart with the house that wisdom builds in 14:1. As the NIV footnote indicates, there is an alternate reading that follows the LXX, “but in the heart of fools she is not known.” However, the Hebrew has no negative and reads “in the midst of fools,” leaving it ambiguous whether wisdom is found with individual fools or among them when gathered. Either way, when we read with the Hebrew, Wisdom is with both the discerning and fools, yet she only stays with the former. Clearly Wisdom is seen calling out to all earlier in the book (chs. 1 and 9), but not all heed her call. She abides with those who respond to her, and it is her presence that makes for a peaceful and healthy heart (14:30).
We may find a solution to the puzzle of this strange pair of proverbs by reading them together, noting that the righteous have a safe place in death and that wisdom has a place to lodge in the heart of the discerning. In other words, give wisdom a place to dwell, and the righteous will have a place to hide. Might wisdom also be made known as the wicked are brought down? This certainly corresponds to the images of life and death found in chapters 1 and 9. In addition, we will see in the Bridging Contexts section that these two proverbs also juxtapose the matters of individual righteousness with collected folly and wickedness, perhaps anticipating the similar juxtaposition in 14:34 and 35.
14:34. Verses 34 and 35 are linked by the theme of shame. To be righteous lifts a nation’s reputation high, but sin brings it disgrace (cf. Ezek. 36:16–21). This verse springs a trap, for the second line starts to read like Proverbs 14:22b, where ḥesed means “love” (thus yielding here, “love of a people, sin”), though it takes on the rarer meaning “disgrace” or “shame” (cf. 25:10; also Lev. 20:17; Ps. 52:1), even while it exposes a sinful people’s true love.
14:35. The second of the royal sayings (cf. 14:28) and the second of a pair on shame (cf. 14:34), this proverb implies that a good kingdom requires good citizens, righteous people, and prudent servants. Both king and citizenry can profit from this counsel. A king will want to choose wise counselors, not merely those who flatter and say what the king hopes to hear. A people may wish for good character qualities in their leaders, but they ought to hold themselves to the same high standards. This may be a jab at the common assumption that honest and forthright character is always a good idea for someone else. The words for “wise” and “shameful” are the same as in 10:1, used there in reference to a son. We must be faithful members of our families and our communities, neither excluding the other.
Bridging Contexts
CONNECTIONS. As we have already seen, the many repetitions of words and phrases that draw the individual proverbs into clusters allow no overarching structure to emerge. Rather, the series of connections are more like the homespun artwork many of us made at summer schools and camps. Some will remember driving nails into a board and wrapping strings of yarn around the nails in all sorts of combinations, the lines of the yarn forming a pattern. So here, the many lines of catchword and metaphoric connection tie together varied themes, outlining a pattern of wise and godly living. As the individual proverbs touch on the themes of truth telling, faithfulness, and kindness, the lines of connection also shape a pattern of right relationship with neighbors, rulers, and Yahweh.
(1) One way to examine these connections is to look for themes that tie clusters together. So 14:1–7 speaks of building with the hands, walking with the feet, and speaking with the mouth. These verses show how talk that carries truth and knowledge builds and protects, while false talk brings punishment (14:3). But why is a proverb about the work of the ox set among these sayings (14:4)? Readers are left to mull over this puzzle and decide on the connection. To my mind, the empty manger symbolizes the mocker’s lack of wisdom and the fool’s lack of knowledge (14:6–7), showing that the wisdom of truthful speaking (14:5) is as necessary for living as an ox is for a good harvest. Implicit also is a word about interdependence: People cannot make their way on their own, and those who try, deceiving and breaking down personal relationships in other ways, sever themselves from relationship with Yahweh (14:2). The capacity of honesty to build relationships is a principle that works just as effectively today as in Bible times.
(2) The next collection (14:8–15) shows that people who craft deceptions clearly have not thought through the consequences of their actions. Prudence is the ability to consider one’s ways and their outcomes, and this capacity for forethought loosely ties the sayings together. Fools mock at practices of honesty and reconciliation, believing perhaps that self-made people do not need to stay in good standing with others as long as they get what they want. But as the heart has its reasons that are not always known or revealed (14:10, 13), so this appearance of independent trail blazing seems right until its hidden end of death is finally revealed (14:12). Today, as then, the lone ranger is more myth than reality. Appearances, the prudent person learns, can deceive.
(3) Prudence is associated with wisdom in the next cluster (14:16–27). The prudent are crowned with knowledge (14:18) as a form of honor, and they will even receive honor from evil persons (14:19); fools, by their quick-tempered and scheming ways, alienate others and God (14:16–17). This emphasis on standing in community extends to the way one treats the poor, for diligence in earning wealth must be matched with equal diligence in faithfulness to neighbors (14:20–24). Security and abundant life in the end come not from any quest for gain but in the fear of Yahweh (14:26–27). Prudence and faithfulness, then, are two complementary aspects of wisdom, for the first looks out for benefits to the self while the second considers the benefits of one’s behavior for others. Wisdom balances self-care with loving self-sacrifice.
(4) Even kings must recognize the social aspects of wisdom, and so two proverbs about the king frame a recapitulation of the chapter’s themes (14:28–35). While it is common knowledge that a king’s reputation stands or falls by the size of his people and armies, the proverb also implies that the king is dependent on those “little people,” perhaps more than he realizes (14:28). Thus, the virtues of patience, understanding, contentment, and kindness make a leader strong, not weak (14:29–31). To abuse the poor is to despise Yahweh, who should be feared (14:31; cf. 14:2); conversely, righteousness brings with it a refuge that extends even to one’s death (14:32; cf. 14:26–27).
Wisdom makes herself known, whether or not she is invited, as she builds great nations and teaches lowly servants (14:33–35; cf. 14:1). Kings, servants, and subjects all do well to be taught by wisdom, not only to learn the practice of honesty, prudence, and faithfulness with one another, but also to bring delight to the King of all creation (14:35). Therefore, the reader learns that the book of Proverbs is directed not only to the wise son (that young person, male or female, learning family responsibility from parents), but also to the wise citizen and the wise king.20
The personal and the political. The collection of proverbs in chapter 14 shows us that the personal always intersects with the political. Or we might say the personal and political intertwine—what is good for the individual is good for the people. Therefore, the house that wisdom builds and indwells is both the heart and the nation (14:33–34). These sayings encourage us to look at both and see their interrelation. To talk about kings and politics is to talk about the moral health of a nation, measured in biblical terms by its treatment of the poor.
The same concern for justice and mercy found here can be seen in the Prophets and in Psalms. In particular, Psalms 45–53 also intertwine the themes of wisdom and just rule. The king is praised not only for splendor and majesty but also for truth, humility, righteousness, justice, and loving righteousness and hating wickedness (Ps. 45:3–7). While this just rule provides prosperity for the nation, “God is our refuge and strength” sounds the counterpoint: “Though everything give way, we will not fear” (46:1–2). Yahweh is the King of the earth to whom all the kings belong (47:3, 7, 9)—kings of the earth who fear the city that God makes secure (48:4–8).
These psalms that praise Yahweh as ruler of heaven and earth are followed by psalms of wisdom and lament. Psalm 49 claims to speak words of wisdom in the form of proverb and riddle, exposing the folly of trust in riches or trust in self and explaining that wealth helps no one when death comes calling. The entire nation is called to repentance in Psalm 50, particularly the wicked, who “hate . . . instruction” and use the mouth for evil and tongue for deceit, thus forgetting God (50:17–20). Psalm 51 quotes the repentance and confession of the king as he prays to learn wisdom in the inmost place (51:6). Next comes a denunciation of the wicked man who plots destruction with a deceitful tongue (52:1–4), quoting evildoers or fools who say, “There is no God” (53:1). In sum, Psalms 45–48 appear to be gathered as national songs that celebrate the king, the Lord, and the city where both dwell and rule in righteousness. Psalms 49–53 set that righteous rule in the context of wisdom and its enemies, deceit and foolish atheism.
The ordering of these psalms suggests that Israel believed God’s rule could be embodied in a just and righteous rule of king and city, but they also knew that evil could lead anyone astray, even the king. The seductive powers of riches and double-dealing can turn the heart against God and neighbor alike, and these psalms, in harmony with the proverbs, describe that turning astray as folly, the rejection of wisdom’s instruction. Like these psalms, the proverbs in Proverbs 14 and the entire book show that the personal and political dimensions of righteousness are inseparable. The personal virtues that build a society exalt a nation and delight a king (14:34–35), and their absence harms everyone, especially the evildoer.
Refuge and “the fear of the LORD.” To summarize, the theme of just and righteous government in Proverbs 14 follows the same trajectory as that of the Psalms, holding up the just society while recognizing that it will always be under attack from without and within. If there is any refuge to be had from this attack, it is found in “the fear of the LORD”; all four references to Yahweh in this chapter use that phrase. While the first two define that fear as walking uprightly (14:2, 16), the pair at 14:26–27 name the benefits of confidence, refuge, and life that accompany it. In other words, the proverbs of this chapter speak of fear of Yahweh as right living that results in safety and trust.21 There is a surprise reversal in the idea that in fearing one finds security, but the sayings reminds us that fear of Yahweh encompasses a wide range of human responses. This fear is more than emotion; it is also reverence and obedience that leads one to walk rightly before God. It is more than the upright life; it is also a safeguard against all that would cause us fear.22
The human person is meant to live in fear of God; if we forsake this fear that brings us safety, we will be afraid of everything else. If we direct our fears to the one we can trust, all other fears will not be able to storm the strong tower. This basic insight of wisdom does not come naturally but must be learned: “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD” (Ps. 34:11). This psalm recommends turning from speaking lies and other evils, using words similar to that of the proverbs: “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous. . . . The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him” (34:15, 22). This psalm brings the two aspects of this fear together. We must turn from evil toward righteousness, but also trust that God will protect the righteous from those who would do evil to them. One might fear the schemes and attacks of the wicked, but the psalms and proverbs recommend “fear of the LORD” instead.
While the promise of these proverbs is confident and assured, the sages who brought them together were anything but naive; their view of final outcomes was shaped by the realization that God-fearers are never exempt from pain or persecution. The refuge of Yahweh is no guarantee against harm. Barbara Brown Taylor urges preachers to remember this when speaking of the Scriptures:
If the Bible is not a book about admirable men and women, neither is it a book about a conventionally admirable God. It is a book in which wonderful and terrible things happen by the power of an almighty God, whose steadfast love for us does not seem to preclude scaring the living daylights out of us from time to time.
People who claim to have no fear of the Lord have clearly not read the Bible. Someone needs to sit them down with a selected reading list that includes the ten plagues sent upon Egypt, the murder of Sisera, the slaughter of the Amalekites and the prophets of Baal, and perhaps the mauling of forty-two boys by two she-bears in the name of the Lord. If they protest that these are stories about what God does to bad people, then they should read the book of Job straight through, and if they insist that their God is the God of the New Testament, then they should study the passion narratives in each of the four gospels and see what happens to those who obey the will of God. We can run but we can’t hide: if early death on a cross is how God rewards a well-beloved son who knows no sin, then what hope is there for the rest of us?23
The point is well taken that fear of Yahweh and its refuge exempt no one from danger, for the well-loved Son in his fear of God found a refuge in death (14:32). His resurrection becomes a refuge for us all.
Contemporary Significance
TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR Proverbs 14 could take one proverb and unpack the dynamics of comparison and contrast, or one could take a section (following one of the outlines above) and demonstrate the connections of theme and image. Still another approach, the one I follow here, brings together proverbs with a common phrase or theme (such as the four “fear of the LORD” proverbs) and expounds them, keeping the insights of the rest of the chapter close at hand. We have seen that fear of Yahweh is found in proverbs that speak of walking rightly (14:2, 16) and taking refuge (14:26–27) as two sides of the same coin. We will look at these in reverse order.
Taking refuge. Having spoken of the fear of Yahweh that redirects our fears of life’s dangers, especially those that come from enemies, we also have seen how the language and outlook of the proverbs resonate with that of the psalms. With a view to final outcomes, the wise person looks to God when under attack. After suffering a series of persecutions of his own, the Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály found a paraphrase of Psalm 55 written by a sixteenth-century poet and preacher from his hometown and set it to music. The lyrics highlight the similarities between the themes of the proverbs and the psalms:
When as King David sore was afflicted,
By those he trusted basely deserted,
In his great anger bitterly grieving,
Thus to Jehovah pray’d he within his heart.
Better it were to dwell in the desert,
Better to hide me deep in the forest,
Than live with wicked liars and traitors
Who will not suffer that I should speak the truth.
Violence and strife rage fierce in the city,
Mischief and malice, envy and sorrow,
Boasting of riches, pride of possession;
Ne’er in all the world saw I such deceivers!
So in Jehovah I will put my trust,
God is my stronghold and my comforter;
I cast my burden alway, alway on the Lord.
He will not suffer the righteous to be mov’d.
As for the righteous, Thou doest preserve them,
They that shew mercy, shelter find in Thee.
Those that are humble Thou doest raise on high.
Those that are mighty Thou scatter’st and destroyest.
These words King David wrote in his Psalter,
Fifty and fifth of prayers and of praises,
And for the faithful, bitterly grieving,
As consolation, I from it made this song.24
As Psalm 55 encouraged this preacher in time of trouble, so the proverbs hope to instill a similar outlook in us that “the faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his” (14:14). We can succumb to a cynical resignation that there is no point in doing good when rewards of bonus and promotion go to those who don’t seem to care. We may not decide to compromise or cut corners ourselves, but we can lose our hope that the good way is the best way to life’s rewards when we see they pass us by. We can end up dragging ourselves through our days, hopeless, angry, or sullen. We may need the encouragement of friends when our own trust runs low, and we may need to speak up for ourselves (a concept not foreign to these proverbs). They not only teach wisdom but also to use these observations drawn from everyday life to encourage those who have begun to walk wisdom’s way to stay on that path.
Walking rightly. Moreover, even if we are not facing such discouragements ourselves, a growing awareness of the pervasive presence of evil described in the proverbs can also sensitize us to harsh treatment of others. The contrasts in Proverbs 14 pit fairness and truthful speaking against evil scheming and lying, reminding readers of the prophets. Isaiah’s vision of a world restored not only gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, but showed the humble and needy how to rejoice in Yahweh. For “the ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down—those who with a word make a man out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with the false testimony deprive the innocent of justice” (Isa. 29:20–21). Jeremiah castigated those who defrauded for gain: “Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful and have grown fat and sleek” (Jer. 5:27–28a).
If, in ancient days, one could use the legal system to cheat the poor, we must ask ourselves if similar temptations present themselves today—and, of course, the poor tell us they do. Whether such cheating takes the form of negligent landlords or corporate restructuring that benefits stockholders at the cost of low-income jobs, kindness to the needy (14:21) requires justice first and charity second. Whoever “oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (14:31).
In our day, questions of social justice turn off some believers because they are convinced that such talk is a form of theological liberalism, but a read through a book like Cry Justice25 and its collection of the many biblical texts about rich and poor can put such fears to rest. For those who are concerned and want to get involved, the prospect is daunting, for how can one person do anything about the enormity of individual and corporate greed that is out there? While the answers are not simple, a commitment toward exploring them makes a good start, and the proverbs offer some suggestions.
(1) We can offer kindness as recommended in Proverbs 14 by simply being the friend the needy are so often without (14:20). This verse astutely observes that the rich make many friends, but it is costly to be a friend to someone who is poor. A quick look at our schedules may tell us that while we do not actively oppress anyone, neither do we go out of our way to help. One way to test our commitment to biblical values is to ask how much of our thoughts and energies are directed toward helping others in need, working for justice, and alleviating hunger. Another is to gauge how much time we actually spend in contact with people in need.
As I write, a heat wave has descended on Chicago that is almost as strong as the one that killed over a hundred people in 1995. Since that time a system of emergency services has been set up to check on elderly persons in stifling apartments and bring them to cooling centers in their neighborhoods. The mayor made a speech reminding the people of Chicago that the system is set up for those who do not have anyone to look after them. “Please,” he pleaded, “don’t call us to go over and visit your family and friends. Check on them yourselves!”
What is true in an emergency situation is just as true for the ongoing concern of poverty. Jesus had an answer for the one who asked, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25–37). He also said that we are to think of those who are hungry, thirsty, sick, or in prison as more than our neighbor; they are the very presence of Jesus himself (Matt. 25:31–46). “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9) are words that Paul spoke in the context of caring for those in need. “Whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Prov. 14:31).
(2) We can offer kindness by refusing to despise a neighbor in need. In the context of Proverbs 14, the word “despise” most likely refers to the attitude that leads one to defraud and cheat another, but we might also ask ourselves to what degree we look down on poorer neighbors as somehow lacking in the intelligence or drive that would bring them a better job or living situation. “God helps those who help themselves” is not found among the biblical proverbs, and it should never be used as a club to beat down those who do not have the access to education and opportunity that many of us have had. Our kindness to others begins with the attitude we bring to our relationship with them. When we find ourselves saying, “There but for the grace of God go I,” we had better believe that we are talking about grace, not our own merits or advantages.
We can begin to show kindness to the poor by recognizing that they exist. I have often heard the story of Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage preached with the accent on Jairus’s fear that there would not be enough time for his daughter if Jesus took time to listen to the woman (Mark 5:21–43). But what did this penniless woman think just a few minutes earlier when she saw her last hope walking away with the well-to-do leader of the synagogue? Time was running out for her, and yet she would not call out to him. Could it be because she knew that the poor are shunned, even by their neighbors? Did Jesus look at Jairus when he said “Daughter, your faith has healed you”? Today, that acknowledgment of the poor can come as we make room for their needs in our budgets of time and money—both our personal budgets and that of our churches. Moreover, remembering the emphasis on life together in the sayings on neighbors and kings, we can ask ourselves how well our elected officials are doing in remembering the needy.
One final thought: I also notice that in this story, the woman is filled with fear and Jesus must tell Jairus not to be afraid. It is part of human nature to be afraid. We fear that which is bigger than we are. We fear when we face what we cannot control, what we cannot manage; it is an accurate assessment. Yet there is fear that rules us and leaves us feeling helpless, lost, alone, and there is a fear that leads to faith. Our fears can become signposts or better invitations to faith, redirecting our fears. In other words when we are afraid, we might ask ourselves, “If I’m afraid of this, what does God want me to believe about him?” If we fear him, we are not afraid; we are learning to have faith. Our fears can also become incentives toward neighbor love, for they can remind us to ask what someone with fewer advantages than ourselves might fear. For them, as well as for us, “in the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and one’s children will have a refuge” (14:26 NRSV).