WISDOM SPEAKS TO US:

by Kristen West McGuire

Proverbs 8:22 - 9:6, 13-18

22 The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth;

26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.

27 When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,

29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

30 then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,

31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men.

32 And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

34 Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

35 For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD;

36 but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Chapter 9

1 Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars.

2 She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table.

3 She has sent out her maids to call from the highest places in the town,

4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who is without sense she says,

5 “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.

6 Leave simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

13 A foolish woman is noisy; she is wanton and knows no shame.

14 She sits at the door of her house, she takes a seat on the high places of the town,

15 calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way,

16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” And to him who is without sense she says,

17 “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

18 But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

The Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Context: Wisdom “speaks” to us in these passages, as God. The style of Wisdom’s instructions is similar to some Egyptian sayings attributed to the Egyptian god “Ma’at” (justice or order). However, the content is unique to the Israelites, who had no confusion about the injustice and disorder of pagan rites involving temple prostitutes and the feasts that accompanied their “sacred” rites.

Translation: The references to kings probably indicate that the Israelite royal line was still active, no later than 500 B.C. There is some evidence that this passage and the last chapter (with the famous Proverbs 31 woman) were dated earlier than the rest of the wise sayings of the book. Perhaps that explains why wisdom needs to transcend our minds to make sense!

Vocabulary:

master workman also could be rendered as “little child”

Wisdom: The word in Hebrew, hokmah, does connote a woman. Sophia in the Greek is also feminine.

high places: The temples in ancient times were usually placed in the highest places of a town, referring here to divine dwellings.

stolen waters: The word for water is deeply contextual. It can mean water, juice, urine, even semen. In this context, it seems to be compared to the mixed wine of Wisdom, and clearly connotes forbidden fruit.

Meditation: Being simple is a double-edged sword, then as now. Sometimes, it can mean being single-minded on just one thing. Ahem! Or it can mean being foolish. Or, it can mean not being too haughty to accept teaching. The tandem voices of Wisdom and the “foolish” women beckon the simple. But, whether foolish or not, true Wisdom transcends our humble human minds.

Wisdom here is juxtaposed with sensuality. Mixed wine had water in it, served to those who were not strangers to sweat and toil. The temples of the pagans had a message that didn’t recognize reality. Setting a table with food was the result of a tremendous amount of work. Even if you were wealthy enough to have slaves, you had to manage them. Illicit tomfoolery in ancient times carried with it steep consequences. One might dream of “stolen” goodies, but in fact, the upright earned their own keep.

In our day, the exhaustion at dusk is just as likely to be mental as physical. Sedentary jobs in fluorescent cubicles are often followed by dinners in styrofoam from the drive-thru. The work of producing and consuming daily needs is almost passive. We don’t even notice our physical neediness. Simplicity and insight are indeed related to one another.

The stolen water does look sweet. Yet, Wisdom’s table demonstrates the loyalty of the little child, who is humble enough to receive even things beyond his imaginings. Wisdom works hard to provide the fruit of her bountiful table, and delights in that very work. Ain’t no such thing as a free lunch. We also must work to understand the wisdom of God.

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to be simple? Are you simple?

2. Wisdom and prudence are different but related virtues. Is there a difference?

3. The story of Hans Urs von Balthasar leaving the Jesuit order to follow a call from God to create and transcribe the mystic visions of a disabled woman is rather shocking. And yet, he is one of the most widely cited theologians of the 20^th century today. Was he wise?

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