Proverbs 31 Metaphors

It cannot be obtained only through age, but in overcoming perilous scenarios and succeeding in experience-filled events. The growing definition of the word “wisdom” sets a feeling to the reader as though she did

Proverbs 8:10-11 to me is basically saying that knowledge is more powerful than money or wealth and nothing that you may want compares to that wisdom.

The value of wisdom is that it can be learned and passed from one person to the

A proverb (Hebrew marshal) is a short poetic sentence conveying wisdom in a concise and memorable form. (p.259) Solomon the writer of proverbs, was told by God” he could ask for anything he wanted and God would give it to him. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead the people, so they would know the difference between right and wrong.”(1Kings 3:5-9 paraphrased) According to Hindson and Yates “Hebrew wisdom literature taught people not only how to make good choice s in life but how to make godly choices.” (p.259) Proverbs shows many parallels and contrasts, usually in a two sentence form. In this essay we will look at the teachings of Hebrew wisdom on diligence and laziness, and how it corresponds with the contrast between wisdom and folly.

Metaphor (n.) - a rhetorical strategy or figure of speech containing a comparison. The comparison can include either literal or nonliteral examples that would normally not be thought of as relatable. Metaphors can describe people, what they’re feeling/doing, and compare their well beings to descriptions similar to themselves. They can also be used to compare things to people based off their personality or looks. A metaphor can be used to portray hidden messages and are usually mostly seen within literature but can also be seen in songs, poems, or even one's daily life. For instance, many writers use metaphors because it allows them to improve and strengthen their writing by adding extra imagery to an otherwise boring description. An example

Proverbs 2:6-8, "It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding. He provides help and protection for righteous, honest men. He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him."

While discussing the Biblical narrative metaphors in class, one that resonated with me was the metaphor of builder, as often the discussion in many of my engineering classes was that of unfolding and flourishing creation, and ensuring that the designs that we might make are shalom seeking as well as free of a negative bias. This brings up the Biblical image of Bezalel building the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25), or Huram-abi designing and building Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 2). These men were skilled in metals, and could design and craft with a variety of other materials. They built the most important buildings for Israel, and used their gifts and desire to glorify God, turning gold and other precious metals from ores to decorations to demonstrate the riches that God blessed them with, both financially as well as spiritually.

So what does the New Testament have to say about wisdom? Jesus spoke about wisdom with some of his parables. The parable of the wise and foolish builders is interpreted to be about obeying the word of the Lord. The wise man who builds his house on the rock with a foundation is the one who listens and obeys God's word. The foolish builder does not listen to God's word and he builds his house on the sand with no foundation. The parable of the rich fool tells us to avoid greediness and be giving and store up heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones. Lastly there is the parable of the 10 virgins. Some of them were not wise enough to bring enough lamp oil for the night. So when the bridegroom came, the virgins were away to find more oil. Meaning that a wise man will be ready for Christ's return.

Proverbs are phrases use to explain certain solutions. Proverbs can explain specific situations within certain words to get the point across. The function for proverbs is to describe something without having to be forward with what is being said. There were five proverbs from things fall apart that stuck out to me. These proverbs are “when a man says yes chi also says yes”, what is good in one place is bad in another”, “If I fall down for you and you fall down for it is play”, “A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness” and “If one brought oil soiled it others”

“Almost everything worthwhile carries with it some sort of risk, whether it's starting a new business, whether it's leaving home, whether its getting married, or whether it’s flying in space.”-Chris Hadfield

When one says that this elderly person has wisdom from various life experiences, he/she is not saying that the elderly person knows much about books and their profession. Instead, one would be speaking about the elderly person’s vast knowledge about what is important in life due to their multitude of experiences. While the elderly person may not be completely wise in the most encompassing form of wisdom, the elderly person does appear to have a more expansive understanding of what is important in life. Simply knowing what matters in life, however, does not satisfy the ultimate form of wisdom, for the wise must know why these things matter in life. That is, a truly wise person must have insight beyond the theoretical, into the practical. Beyond this, a wise person, in this view, must also know how to achieve what matters most, and, in knowing so, do what matters most. I say this because a truly wise person would be able to act upon what they know to be the most important thing in life. It is wiser for a person to act than to merely conceptualize what is most essential in life.

Wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement; the quality of being wise. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, there is one character who shows a tremendous amount of wisdom. Atticus shows his wisdom throughout the story by teaching Scout how to be young wise girl and teaching her how to read and write. Shows Jem how to be wise and knowledgeable , and shows it in the defending of Tom Robinson.

This quote from Elaine Heath and Larry Duggins' book "Missional.Monastic.Mainline." mentioned what I thought of as the quintessential definition of wisdom. Through effort and sacrifice, one can attain pearls of wisdom such as freedom can't be bought cheap, it's better to die with knowledge than to live in ignorance, and ignorance is bliss only for those whose minds are vacant of the veracity of facts.

Wisdom Tradition is a term applied to the Old Testament books of Proverbs, Job, Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes. Wisdom Tradition books all share characteristics and points of view that are somewhat different than other biblical books. Wisdom tradition has very prominent characteristics from other books in the Old Testament such as a search for the goal of life, how to master it and questioning the problems of life, showing interest to human experiences that affect all people, joy of creativity and creation, and very little interest in the great acts of divine salvation. These qualities appear in a few books in the Old Testament. All of them show wisdom, but only some show both wisdom and tradition. Books such as Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes values the beauty of creation and the confidence of human life and nature. This was a new concept to Israel. They learned about wisdom tradition through other nations. They were influenced from Mesopotamian literature and took their ideas of meditations of sufferings and God’s justice into their Old Testament Books. Suffering can be seen in Job, but in the next essay and upcoming classes, we will be relating this to women suffering. The wisdom perspectives did not replace the other two major strands of thought in Ancient Israel, that of prophets and priests. It was simply a different focus that was complementary with the other perspectives presented in the Bible.

A proverb is "a brief, memorable saying that expresses a truth or belief" (Proverb). “Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten" (Achebe 7), and they enhance the meaning of all the conversations. “A proverb is [basically] a short sentence based on long experience” (.