Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Proverbs Chapter 10
Metaphysically Interpreting Proverbs 10:1-32
10:1The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son maketh a glad father;
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.10:2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing;
But righteousness delivereth from death.10:3Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish;
But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.10:4He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand;
But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.10:5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son;
But he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.10:6Blessings are upon the head of the righteous;
But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.10:7The memory of the righteous is blessed;
But the name of the wicked shall rot.10:8The wise in heart will receive commandments;
But a prating fool shall fall.10:9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely;
But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.10:10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow;
But a prating fool shall fall.10:11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life;
But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.10:12Hatred stirreth up strifes;
But love covereth all transgressions.10:13In the lips of him that hath discernment wisdom is found;
But a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.10:14Wise men lay up knowledge;
But the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.10:15The rich man's wealth is his strong city:
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.10:16The labor of the righteous tendeth to life;
The increase of the wicked, to sin.10:17He is in the way of life that heedeth correction;
But he that forsaketh reproof erreth.10:18He that hideth hatred is of lying lips;
And he that uttereth a slander is a fool.10:19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression;
But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.10:20The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver:
The heart of the wicked is little worth.10:21The lips of the righteous feed many;
But the foolish die for lack of understanding.10:22The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich;
And he addeth no sorrow therewith.10:23It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness;
And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.10:24The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him;
And the desire of the righteous shall be granted.10:25When the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is no more;
But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.10:26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,
So is the sluggard to them that send him.10:27The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days;
But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.10:28The hope of the righteous shall be gladness;
But the expectation of the wicked shall perish.10:29The way of Jehovah is a stronghold to the upright;
But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.10:30The righteous shall never be removed;
But the wicked shall not dwell in the land.10:31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom;
But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.10:32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable;
But the mouth of the wicked speaketh perverseness.
October 31, 1948: Prov. 10:1-9
Is wisdom a natural characteristic of youth? No. Youth is generally more inclined to follow the desires of sense than wisdom, the leading of Spirit. Where wisdom is evident in a youth, it indicates a rare development in him of the spiritual faculties.
What are "treasures of wickedness"? Ill-gotten gains in general, including all that the sense mind holds desirable.
How does righteousness deliver a person from death? By giving him a consciousness of eternal life, so that all fear of death leaves him and he is free to live indeed.
What sustains the soul of a person who does what is right for right’s sake? His consciousness of integrity. Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish.” Unlawful desires, when unredeemed and allowed to continue become insatiable, thus defeating their purpose.
Is diligence in our work commendable, or should we spare ourselves as much as possible? Diligence is a requirement of success in an eternal sense, and it is also a spiritual faculty. We are to be diligent in our work, and to use our energy accordingly, not sparing ourselves.
Is it a wise course to obey commandments, or should each one decide questions for himself as they arise, without regard to rules that have risen out of past experiences? It is a wise course to study commandments with a view to understanding the sum of human experience that gave them rise, the necessity to obey such of them as are in harmony with the law of life. “The wise in heart will receive commandments.”
What inner proof that he is obeying divine law has the person who consistently does what is right? He has confidence and an inner assurance that all is well, and he pursues his course fearlessly. “He that walketh upright walketh surely.”
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 10-28-2013
