The Wise And The Fool According To Proverbs

The Holy Bible is a historical book, yet it contains tons of fables from which people can deduce worlds of life. It is a book of books written by men of God who lived in different times and yet were always consistent in what it teaches men of all ages, from all walks of life, at whatever time they lived.

Of these books, the Book of Proverbs is just one of the books of the Bible that contains instructions aimed at guiding the religious life of men using situations from man’s mundane life. Indeed, Proverbs is a book of reality (Crenshaw, James L. 1981, p. 28).

Proverbs is a form of literature not unique to the Hebrews since Egyptian, Akkadian, and Babylonian evidence of these forms have been discovered and have similarities with those of the Proverbs of Solomon (McKane, William 1970, p. 168). In the Hebrew context, the word “proverb” (mashalin in their language) means “to be like” (Crenshaw, p. 34).

In the case of the Proverbs of Solomon, it serves as a “medium of moral instruction” (as in Proverbs 10:26) or a “short didactic essay or sermonette” (as in Proverbs 1:10-19; 31:10-31) (Scott, R. B. Y. 1981, p. 11).

One writer extracted several general instructions that the Book of Proverbs is seeking to indicate. First, Proverbs is concerned with the development of godly character in aspects such as parenting (Proverbs 22:6), choosing one’s spouse (Proverbs 29:24), and friendship (17:9) (Scott, p. 18).

Second, Proverbs teaches us to distinguish what is good and what is right in aspects of money (11:4, 11:28, 18:11), justice (17:23), and friendship (19:7) (McKane, p. 173). Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.”

From this verse, we can deduce that Proverbs aimed to teach people how to seek counsel from the Lord. Finally, Proverbs teaches us how to become wise by portraying both the wise and the fool, and these are what we are concerned about in this paper.

Both the wise and the fool are personified as women in Proverbs. Writers often refer to these two women as representing the two ways or walks of life, of being wise and of being foolish. This paper would like to follow the personification used by one writer: Dame Wisdom as the wise woman and Madam Folly as the foolish woman (Crenshaw, p. 72).

It is remarkable that most books have a more extensive explanation or discussion of the characteristics of Madam Folly than that of Dame Wisdom, although Proverbs is often referred to as the book of Wisdom.

In this book, Dame Wisdom is an adult female who is shouting out in the market place to teach people the manner of deriving wisdom. In verses 20 and 21 of the first chapter, we read, “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: she crieth in the main topographic point of multitude, in the gaps of the Gatess: in the metropolis she uttereth her words…” (The Holy Bible, KJV).

Although there have been diverse aspects of wisdom, as differentiated from human intelligence or cognition, Proverbs is more concerned with the religious wisdom that every man can use in all facets of his life on Earth. The first chapter of Proverbs points out wisdom as Dame Wisdom’s ability to know.

In verse two, it says, “to know wisdom and direction; to comprehend the words of understanding.” In verses two to four, wisdom is the ability to learn while verse six describes Dame Wisdom’s ability to understand.

Chapter three of Proverbs has probably the most celebrated personification of Dame Wisdom. Here, wisdom is like a virgin adult female whom every wise man should pursue. Verses 13 to 17 place an obvious high respect and regard to a virgin adult female that the writer said, “happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth apprehension: for the ware of it is better than the ware of Ag. and the addition thereof than all fine gold” (verses 13-14).

As far as we know the value of Ag and gold, we can safely draw out the idea of the writer that a virgin adult female could have been so precious that only a few could afford to have her. Notice that the verses stressed that she is better than Ag and gold and, therefore, wisdom, being more than the value of these tangible wealths of life, could have been truly worth investing.

Dame Wisdom is even more valuable than rubies; on her hands are “the length of days, wealth, and honor” that walks in the path of pleasantness and peace.

The importance of acquiring wisdom has been stressed by the writer by showing how a wise man should seek and take a woman to whom he will be with for the remainder of his life. According to Crenshaw, acquiring wisdom is like seeking a wholesome yet intimate relationship (Crenshaw, p. 88).

As the wise man’s bride, Dame Wisdom is so precious that “all the things that thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her” (3:15). This could have been the reason why the writer has consistently reminded men to acquire wisdom for their own benefit. The father in Chapter four had been so particular with wisdom that he stressed to his son not to abandon it but rather to love it; exalt and honor wisdom for it will bring him pride, honor, and glory (4:6-9).

Dame Wisdom warns workforces of the devastation and death into which all who continue on the way of folly will fall (1:24). Destruction and death here refer to the religious life of all workforces. Although Proverbs has moral and practical deductions that are also good to be applied in our daily lives on Earth, Proverbs is particularly concerned with the religious position of the individual.

God does not want anyone’s soul to be destroyed, and so we are earnestly reminded and warned. Remember that Dame Wisdom is more than merely one’s trusted friend. She makes sure she is doing her job to direct the life of each man to the way that they need to track, irrespective of how painful it would be. She does not tell men what they want to hear but what they need to hear if they are to be delivered from death.

Dame Wisdom is straightforward, speaking of noble things (8:6-8). Proverbs has given us the confidence that Dame Wisdom also offers that which will bring excellent things to those who want to embrace her. She tells her purpose with all honesty and never will have any hesitation to speak the truth for the benefit of man’s soul.

Unlike Madam Folly, Dame Wisdom never uses her lips to deliberately hurt anyone but to correct one’s wicked ways. She offers her instruction and commandments (7:1-2).

Like a father to his beloved son, Madam Folly also desires the best things for her children, and she knows that the only way to prepare them is to keep her words, to gain sound wisdom and advice (8:14). Like a weapon of war, Dame Wisdom promises security (1:33), peace, long life, wealth, and honor (3:16-17), and most of all, life. “She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is the one that retains her” (3:18).

In another aspect, Dame Wisdom in Chapter seven was compared to a woman “who calls forth to men to fear the Lord, hate evil, and diligently seek her. This has been implied in verses four and five, which say, “Say unto wisdom, thou art my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman: that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flatters with her words” (7:4-5).

We can deduce from these verses that Dame Wisdom serves as the strong and sure companion of anyone who seeks wisdom against the menace of folly. In other words, Dame Wisdom is the defender of the individual seeking wisdom against the strange woman whose main mission is to devour men by flattering with her words.

In Chapter Fourteen, Proverbs still uses the personification of wisdom as a woman, but this time as someone who is proactive like a wife and a mother in a family. Like one writer stressed, “a good wife is a great blessing to a family” (Matthew Henry).

The question therefore is this: what makes a woman a good wife? Matthew has a conservative yet objective answer. A good wife is one who is prudent, pious, hardworking, and considerate, with whom the whole family feels comfortable and safe under her care while keeping in mind that it is her husband who bears authority.

Proverbs, however, has a simpler yet more meaningful answer to the question: “A wise woman builds her house” (14:1). Although this may seem indirectly connected with wisdom, we can say that the characteristics of the good wife as mentioned above are requirements for the woman to help build her house and keep her family together.

In the same way, a woman who builds her house is wise, as the Proverbs say. Dame Wisdom here is personified as a good wife and a mother. In the same context, wisdom is required to keep a family intact.

In contrast, Proverbs is very specific in avoiding the ways of folly and therefore of getting away from the fool by empowering oneself with enough wisdom. It is remarkable in many commentaries on the book of Proverbs that the analysis of the personification of the fool is more extensive in comparison with that of wisdom.

Here the fool is personified by Madam Folly, whose character is well described in the book. While wisdom has been personified in many aspects, Proverbs also presented the different grades of folly that Madam Folly may show.

Some writers discussed only four types or grades of Madam Folly’s personality, but we would discuss five since there are also writers that see five sorts of fools in the book, which differences were clearly indicated. The first type of fool is the simple fool. It is important that we be able to understand the difference between simplicity, in the context of the Proverbs, and how we perceive simplicity.

Since the Old Testament of the Holy Bible was originally written in Hebrew, it is but proper that we understand the context of simplicity in the Hebrew context in order for us to come up with the accurate reading of the word. In the same manner, there is a difference in the Bible’s context of a “fool” than how we perceive it in our present civilization.

In Hebrew, simple and fool is used in the same context. Simple (fool) came from the Hebrew word pethiy, whose root word is pathah, implying utmost vulnerability, literally meaning “to be opened up.”

McKane stressed that simplicity is a phase in the development of an individual that every adult must go through. However, he also stressed that simplicity is a dangerous phase in one’s life because it is at this stage that one is vulnerable and gullible, particularly to the traps of wickedness (McKane, p. 182). What is more dangerous is that “being simple is one short step from being a fool” (Crenshaw, p. 102).

These analyses, therefore, coincide with the Hebrew context of simplicity, and thus the context within which the Proverbs should be interpreted. The simple fool, as described in Proverbs 22:3, is the one who lacks understanding.

Being at the early stage of life, a child can be safely considered a fool because of their lack of wisdom to discern things, but this should not remain as one grows older. This is the reason why the writer advises people to gain wisdom. Verses six and seven of chapter seven personify a fool as a simple and immature man who is null of understanding (Kaiser, Walter C., Jr. 1995).

The second type of fool is the wicked fool as described in Proverbs as the “evil.” The Hebrew word ‘eviyl means “to be perverse, silly” (Goldberg, Louis 1990). Proverbs 10:14 states that “the mouth of the foolish is near destruction” and that “every fool will be meddling” according to Proverbs 20:3.

The wicked fool is also described in 12:15 as the one who sees his own way as right. The wicked fool is also likened to someone who rejects direction (1:7, 10:21) and those who prefer to be humiliated before they decide to change their ways (29:9, 7:22).

The third type of fool is the animal fool who is likened to someone who is proud of the things that he should be ashamed of (13:19-20). In Hebrew, he is referred to as keciyl who is fat, silly, or a fool. He is the one who rejects the Wisdom of God and who often gets himself into trouble (18:6-7).

Proverbs warns people that this type of fool should be avoided because of his elusive methods and motivations. These types of fools are somewhat hardened that they require severe punishment to be corrected (26:3, 19:29).

A worse type of fool is called the scorning fool, who not only rejects wisdom but also embraces what is detestable to God (13:1, 14:6). He does this by turning a deaf ear in order to reprimand the Wisdom that God is offering. In Hebrew, scorning fools are luwts, a word which means to make a mouth, to jeer.

Proverbs 19:25 recommends that a scorning fool be punished, and this is the same idea that Proverbs 21:11 and 22:10 suggest. The worst type of fool is the stubborn fool, which means “stupid or wicked” in the Hebrew word nabal or a despicable person. He is self-assured and yet closed-minded. He is the most dangerous of all fools because his goal is to draw as many others as possible into his evil ways. Only God can admonish this type of fool.

What is likely the most celebrated personification of a fool in Proverbs is that of a fornicatress, as described in poetry 16 of chapter 2. Being a fornicatress, Madam Folly “forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God” (2:17). Having done so, Madam Folly is godless, in contrast with Dame Wisdom. Being referred to as an unusual woman, a fool is immoral (Longman, Tremper, 2002).

As mentioned earlier, Madam Folly is the type who is mindless and simple: “A foolish woman is clamorous; she is simple and knoweth nothing” (9:13). Being a fornicatress and an unusual woman, Madam Folly is shameless about her wickedness (4:6).

She makes sure that her legal husband is not at home when she victimizes her prey (7:19-20). She devours her victim through her seductive garments (7:10) and enticing lips (7:16-17). “For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword” (5:3-4, 2:16, 7:5, 22:14).

As a fornicatress, who can devour her victims through her seductive garments and her sweet words, Madam Folly could have been externally beautiful. Proverbs 6:25 says, “Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.”

However, it is not her beauty that is her primary weapon, but rather her tongue (House, H. Wayne and Durham, Kenneth M., 1992). Likewise, man is easily fooled by sweet and friendly words that someone offers. Proverbs warns us that outward beauty and the sweetness of words should not enter our hearts and lead us astray. As Proverbs 11:22 says, “As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.”

There are several key characteristics of a fool that we can deduce from our earlier descriptions using the character of Madam Folly. First, Proverbs teaches us that the fool is unrighteous. In contrast with Dame Wisdom, she hates holy, righteous, and good things, and instead loves evil (Voorwinde, Stephen, 1981).

Being a fool, Madam Folly is necessarily unwise because she does not have, and has refused to acquire, wisdom. Madam Folly is also incapable of acquiring wisdom because “wisdom is too high for a fool…” (24:7). She does not have the desire to possess wisdom and, in fact, rejects it because she does not fear the Lord. The fool is unrealistic since she thinks of herself as someone high and is proud and haughty.

Madam Folly is also undisciplined. She takes pleasure in her money, treasure, and other material resources. She also comes up short in her temper (12:16) and is unable to control her words. Being so, Madam Folly is unreliable because of her dishonesty and evil deeds (26:10).

She is a liar, a cheat, and a defamer (10:18, 19:1). Having a hardened heart, the fool is therefore unteachable (Lane, Eric, 2000). This is primarily because she is irreverent and therefore does not fear the Lord, which is the key to acquiring knowledge.

The sap, therefore, is necessarily unwanted. Proverbs 15:20 says, “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.” A sap causes his parents to sorrow because he rejects wisdom, which parents frequently offer to their children. How painful is the life of any parent who does have a foolish child.

“He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy” (17:21). Parents would never wish to bear a foolish son who makes them bitter and grieved. There is also one awful thing about the life of a sap: “The mouth of the foolish is near destruction” (10:14).

Like a plague, Madam Folly will unlikely be someone who will be desired to be a friend or even just a company of anyone. Being calumnious and quarrelsome, Madam Folly makes people hate each other; it is better “to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly” (17:12).

Proverbs does not just describe the characteristics of Madam Folly but also teaches people how to get away from them. Also important is the fact that Proverbs teaches us how to gain knowledge so that we may not become a sap.

The warnings against Madam Folly are clear in Proverbs, which every man should take into serious consideration (Decker, Barbara 1987). We are advised to “cast out the scorner” so that “contention will go out” and that “strife and reproach shall cease” (22:10). We should not, therefore, be deceived by the sap and should not forget God’s reminders.

Through Proverbs, we are given the means of arming ourselves with wisdom in order to gain enough strength to fight against Madam Folly. Our victory depends on how we will use all our weapons of war, but it is safe to say that Proverbs has given the complete and accurate process of achieving our victory. The dangers of Madam Folly are everywhere. “Scornful men bring a city into a snare…” (29:10). The simple reminder, then, is to pay attention and watch very closely.

The method of teaching employed in Proverbs is most like the instructional method of our Lord. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Greek word parabole was consistently used to translate the Hebrew word mashal (proverb) (Voorwinde, Stephen 1981).

Therefore, Proverbs are mainly intended to teach every person the lessons of life in the ways that God wants it to be (Thomas, David 1982).

One would not immediately expect to read the Book of Proverbs to learn the will of God, but this is one of the purposes of the book stated in Proverbs 1:5: “A wise man will hear and increase in learning; and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.” The expression “wise counsel” is derived from the Hebrew root meaning “rope” (Mouser, William E. Jr. 1983).

This “rope” was connected to the rudder of a ship, thereby being the means of determining its course. By obtaining wisdom which Proverbs offers to teach us, we are enabled to make right decisions that will set a reverent course for our life.

It is finally important that for a man to acquire wisdom, he first has to have a reverent fear (Bridges, Charles 1980). A man of wisdom has the ability to discern truth from error, good from evil, best from good. Wisdom results in righteousness, justice, and equity.

More importantly, Proverbs does not teach us to limit wisdom acquisition to obtaining it, but rather we are advised to obey and live with it because knowing good and doing it results from knowing God (22:17-21). Thus, wisdom is not just a mental ability or a moral sensitivity, but a practical ability to fulfill a variety of tasks (Falwell, Jerry 1984).

“I believe it is safe to say that this implies that ultimately wisdom is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we cannot possess wisdom without first bowing before Him as Savior and Lord” (Crenshaw, p. 223).

Bibliography

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