True wisdom from God is the principle thing. It is that which recommends us to God, which beautifies the soul, which enables us to answers the ends of our creation, to live to some good purpose in the world and which makes our path brighter and brighter until we get to heaven at last. The Christian walks in the way of light. Christ is their way and Christ is the light. They are guided by the Bible which is the light of their feet. 1. Exhortation to the study of wisdom. (1-13) 2. Cautions against bad company. Exhortation to faith and holiness. (14-27) 1. Exhortation to the study of wisdom. (1-13) Get the rule over thy corruptions; take more pains to get this than the wealth of this world. An interest in Christ’s salvation is necessary. This wisdom is the one thing needful. A soul without true wisdom and grace is a dead soul. How poor, contemptible, and wretched are those, who, with all their wealth and power, die without getting understanding, without Christ, without hope, and without God! Let us give heed to the sayings of Him who has the words of eternal life. Thus our path will be plain before us: by taking, and keeping fast hold of instruction, we shall avoid being straitened or stumbling. 4:1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. Such as I received from my father I give to you, and they were the teachings of a wise and affectionate parent to his only son. He introduces the subject thus, to show that the teaching he received, and which he was about to give them, was the most excellent of its kind. By this he ensured their attention, and made his way to their heart. Teaching by precept is good; teaching by example is better; but teaching both by precept and example is best of all. 4:1 For a just father brings up [his children] well, when he is diligent in teaching others in accordance with his own upright conduct, so that when he meets with opposition, he may not be ashamed on hearing it said, ‘You therefore that teachest others, teachest You not thyself?’ (Rom. 2:21) but rather, like the good servant, may both save himself and gain others; and thus, when the grace committed to him has been doubled, he may hear, ‘You good and faithful servant, You have been faithful in a little, I will set thee over much: enter into the joy of thy Lord (Matt. 25:21). St. Athanasius of Alexandria: Paschal Letters, 2:1. 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 4:2 It must be noted, that he names the law a good gift, on account of the man who takes gifts into his bosom unrighteously. And he forsakes the law who transgresses it; the law, namely, of which he speaks, or which he has kept. From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs 4:3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Proverbs 4 2 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve you: love her, and she shall keep you. Forsake her not — Wisdom personified is here represented as a guardian and companion, who, if not forsaken, will continue faithful; if loved, will continue a protector. 4:6 If a man is going to carry out the advice of Solomon and take for helpmate and lifecompanion that true Wisdom of which he says, “Love her, and she shall keep thee,” “honor her, that she may embrace thee,” then he will prepare himself in a manner worthy of such a love, so as to feast with all the joyous wedding guests in spotless raiment, and not be cast forth, while claiming to sit at that feast, for not having put on the wedding garment. It is plain moreover that the argument applies equally to men and women, to move them towards such a marriage. St. Gregory of Nyssa: On Virginity, 20. 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding. 4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honor, when you do embrace her. 4:8 And what is meant by “exalt (fortify) her?” Surround her with holy thoughts; for you have need of large defense, since there are many things to imperil such a possession. But if it is in our power to fortify her, and if there are virtues in our power which exalt the knowledge of God, these will be her bulwarks, — as, for example, practice, study, and the whole chain of other virtues; and the man who observes these, honors wisdom; and the reward is, to be exalted to be with her, and to be embraced by her in the chamber of heaven. From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs 4:8 Philosophy, therefore, was a preparation, paving the way for him who is perfected in Christ. “Now,” says Solomon, “defend wisdom, and it will exalt thee, and it will shield thee with a crown of pleasure” (Prov. 4:8,9). For when you have strengthened wisdom with a cope by philosophy, and with right expenditure, you wilt preserve it unassailable by sophists. St. Clement of Alexandria: Stromata 1:5. 4:9 She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to you. 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many. The years of thy life shall be many. — Vice and intemperance impair the health and shorten the days of the wicked; while true religion prolongs them. Religion excites to industry, promotes sober habits, and destroys evil passions, and harmonizes the soul; and thus, by preventing many diseases, necessarily prolongs life. 4:11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. 1.Moses: Renowned as the first leader of the people of God who taught God’s Law, and asked the parents to teach their chidren (Deut. 4:5). https://coptic-treasures.com/ Proverbs 4 3 2. Bezalel and Aholiab: Two master craftsmen who were gifted and called to teach others in the construction of the Tabernacle (Exod. 35:30-35). 3. Samuel the Prophet: The last of Israel’s judges before the monarchy, who considered laziness in praying and teaching the people is a sin committed against God Himself (1 Sam. 12:23). 4. David: He couldn't build the Temple, but he prepared his son Solomon to build and staff it (1 Chr. 28:9-21). 5. Solomon: Known for his outstanding wisdom. Which he used to teach numerous subjects, including literature, botany, and zoology (1 Kin. 4:29-34). 6. Ezra: A scribe and priest who was committed not only to keeping the Law himself, but to teaching it to others (Ezra 7:10). 7. Barnabas: One of the teachers among the believers at Antioch (Acts 13:1), who had a lasting impact on Saul after his conversion to the faith (9:26-30). 8. Gamaliel: A renowned Jewish rabbi who was the teacher of Saul during his youth (Acts 22:3), 9. Paul: Perhaps the early church’s most gifted teacher, known to have taught throughout the Roman world, and in the school of Tyrannus at Ephesus (Acts 19:9). 10. Priscilla and Aquila: A family who changed their house into a church, and they taught the way of God to a talented young orator named Apollos (Acts 18:26). 11. Apollos: A powerful Alexandrian teacher, whose teaching paved the way for the gospel at Ephesus (Acts 18:24-26). 12. Timothy: A young person, who was converted by St. Paul, and became a bishop (1Tim. 1:3; 2 Tim 4:2). 13. Titus: Another young person, who was converted by St. Paul, and became a bishop of the church of Crete (Titus 2:1-15). 4:12 When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not stumble. 4:12 Nemesianus of Tubunae said: “That the baptism which is given by heretics and schismatics is not true is everywhere declared in the holy Scriptures, inasmuch as their very prelates are false Christs and false prophets, as the Lord declares by the mouth of Solomon, ‘Whoso trusteth in lies, the same feedeth the winds; he also followeth flying birds. For he deserteth the ways of his own vineyard, and hath strayed from the paths of his own field. For he walketh through pathless and dry places, and a land destined to thirst; and he gathereth fruitless weeds in his hands.’ And again, ‘Abstain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain, that You mayest live long, and that years may be added to thy life. And in the gospel our Lord Jesus Christ spake with His own voice, saying, ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ This is the Spirit which from the beginning ‘moved upon the face of the waters.’ For neither can the Spirit act without the water, nor the water without the Spirit. St. Augustine: On Baptism, Against the Donatists, 6:12:18. 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Proverbs 4 4 2. Cautions against bad company. Exhortation to faith and holiness. (14-27) 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Never associate with those whose life is irregular and sinful; never accompany them in any of their acts of transgression. 4:14 The heterodox are the “wicked,” and the transgressors of the law are “evil men,” whose “ways”—that is to say, their deeds — he bids us not enter. From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. Let it be the serious purpose of thy soul to shun every appearance of evil. Never, for the sake of worldly gain, or through complaisance to others, approach the way that You wouldst not wish to be found in when God calls thee into the eternal world. If, through unwatchfulness or unfaithfulness, You at any time get near or into the way of sin, turn from it with the utmost speed, and humble thyself before thy Maker. And pass away. — Speed from it, run for thy life, and get to the utmost distance; eternally diverging so as never to come near it whilst You have a being. 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day. For He saith, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Now nothing is more full of light than a most excellent conversation. As one of the wise men has said, “The paths of the just shine like the light (Proverbs 4:18, LXX.); and they shine not for them alone who kindle the flame by their works, and are guides in the way of righteousness, but also for those who are their neighbors. St. John Chrysostom: Homilies on St. John, 8. The way of truth is therefore one. But into it, as into a perennial river, streams flow from all sides. It has been therefore said by inspiration: “Hear, my son, and receive my words; that thine may be the many ways of life. For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; that the fountains fail thee not,” (Prov. 4:10, 11,21) which gush forth from the earth itself. Not only did He enumerate several ways of salvation for any one righteous man, but He added many other ways of many righteous, speaking thus: “The paths of the righteous shine like the light.” (Prov. 4:18). St. Clement of Alexandria: Stromata 1:5. 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings. 4:21 Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. Keep them in the midst of thine heart. — Let them be wrapped up in the very center of thy affections; that they may give spring and energy to every desire, word, and wish. 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Proverbs 4 5 4:23 Let us then guard our hearts, let us guard our mouths. Both have been written about. In this place we are bidden to take heed to our mouth; in another place You art told: “Keep thy heart with all diligence.” If David took heed, wilt You not take heed? If Isaiah had unclean lips — who said: “Woe is me, for I am undone, for I am a man, and have unclean lips”—if a prophet of the Lord had unclean lips, how shall we have them clean? St. Ambrose: St. Ambrose: Duties of the Clergy, 1:3 (10). 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, that it sin not in secret; for there is to be a laying bare of thoughts and of actions. Employ thy hands in labor, and let thy heart meditate in prayer. St. Ephraim the Syrian: Three Homilies, On admonition and repentance, 9. 4:23 Thus living, let us keep guard carefully, and as it is written, “keep our hearts with all watchfulness .” For we have terrible and crafty foes — the evil spirits — and against them we wrestle, as the Apostle said,” Not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places .” Great is their number in the air around us”, and they are not far from us. St. Athanasius of Alexandria: De Vita S. Antoni, 21. 4:24 Put away from you a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from you. Beware of haveiness, anger, and rash speeches. And perverse lips — Do not delight in nor acquire the habit of contradicting and gainsaying; and beware of calumniating and backbiting your neighbor. 4:25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. 4:25 Under the guise of a learner, it is well said in Solomon, My son, do nothing without counsel, and after it is done You shalt not repent (Ecclus. 32:24). And again, Let thine eyelids go before thy steps (Proverbs 4:25). For indeed our eyelids go before our steps, when right counsels prevent our doings. For he who neglects to look forward by consideration to what he is about to do advances his steps with his eyes closed; proceeds on and accomplishes his journey, but goes not in advance of himself by looking forward; and therefore the sooner falls, because he gives no heed through the eyelid of counsel to where he should set the foot of action. Fr. Gregory (the Great), Pastoral Rule, 15. 4:25 He “looks right on” who has thoughts free of passion; and he has true judgments, who is not in a state of excitement about external appearances. When he says, “Let thine eyes look right on,” he means the vision of the soul. From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs 4:25 4:26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Proverbs 4 6 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left — Avoid all crooked ways. Be an upright, downright, and straight-forward man. Avoid tricks, wiles, and deceptions of this kind. 4:27 But we must really walk in the King’s highway, and take care not to turn aside from it either to the right hand or to the left, as the Proverbs say. St. Gregory Nazianzen: In Defense of his Flight to Pontus, 35. 4:27 LXX We are warned by Solomon, the wisest of men: “Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left;” i.e., do not flatter yourself on your virtues and be puffed up by your spiritual achievements on the right hand; nor, swerving to the path of vices on the left hand, seek from them for yourself (to use the words of the Apostle) “glory in your shame” (Phil. 3:19). From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs 4:27 Virtue occupies the middle position; whence also he says, that manly courage is the mean between boldness and cowardice. St. John Cassian: The Institutes, book 11, 4. 4:27 “Let us turn neither to the right hand nor to the left.” (Num. 14:29,31). For to turn to the right hand is to deceive oneself, by saying that we are without sin; and to turn to the left is to surrender oneself to one’s sins with a sort of impunity. St. Augustine: On Forgiveness of Sins, And Baptism, 2:57. (35)
Welcome