Proverbs
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
The editor of the Book of Proverbs gathered seven ancient collections of wise sayings, as we can read in Prov 9,1: «Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars». He introduced them with nine chapters, where we find the personified Wisdom, and concluded them with the beautiful acrostic poem about the “strong woman” (Prov 31,10-31). “Acrostic” means that the author used the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in order, as the initials of each verse; the protagonist woman is perhaps again the personification of Lady Wisdom, or the personification of the wise man who welcomed Lady Wisdom into his life.
As a representation of the contents of the Book of Proverbs, we take one of Lady Wisdom’s speeches that we partially mentioned in the Introduction. «Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice? On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands. Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud: “To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind. You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart. Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things. For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. [...] “I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth. I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me [...] “Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways! Hear instruction, and be wise. Do not refuse it. Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts! For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from the LORD. But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”» (Prov 8,1-7.12-17.32-36).
I emphasize two interesting aspects: Wisdom stands “beside the gates of the city” (where there is the square) and “loves those who love her”. The chosen place is the main meeting point of the people and the seat of the city court: Wisdom is not closed in specialized fields, but she is present in ordinary life and in the whole created world, opened to transcendence (see the “fear of the Lord”). She can be obtained by those who “love” her: the Hebrew verb used here primarily expresses the idea of physical intimacy with another person, in other words a full involvement; a second meaning is the covenant commitment with other peoples (see for example 1Kgs 5,15), or with the Lord (see for example Deut 11,1). Wisdom requires of the wise man or woman a faithful love and a diligent commitment that pervade every aspect of his or her existence.