A King Praises… Kings
- This next chapter begins with a new batch of hot proverbs, delivered fresh from the mental oven of King Solomon. Actually, maybe they're not exactly fresh—Proverbs claims they were recorded from old records of Solomon's sayings by officials in King Hezekiah's court.
- The sayings kick off with a description of the way kings are supposed to rule. God hides things, but kings are meant to ferret them out—reveal rather than conceal.
- Kings have deep and unsearchable minds, and you'd best avoid getting demoted by them or by other nobles.
- In the same way someone removes dross (the dregs, worthless bits) from silver to make a vessel, the king should remove wickedness from his court.
- Also, if you see your neighbor doing something wrong, don't immediately blab about it to the authorities. Bring it up with your neighbor privately and see if you can work something out.
Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch
- King Solomon (or whoever) goes on to praise a few of his favorite things (see if you can do a Sound of Music arrangement with them): fitly-spoken words, a wise rebuke, faithful messengers, not boasting about gifts you haven't given, patience, and a soft tongue.
- Also, Solomon wisely counsels people against binge-eating honey, if they happen to find a honeycomb somewhere. You'll end up puking, he says.
- Don't continually visit your neighbor, or else he'll get sick of you, and you also shouldn't bear false witness against your neighbors.
- He continues listing likes and dislikes: he doesn't like faithless people, singing songs to heavy hearts (it just makes you sadder), backbiting, contentious wives, seeking honor after honor too ambitiously, and sorrow.
- However, he does like generosity to enemies (it fills them with shame like burning coals on their heads), good news from distant lands, those who refuse to give way to the wicked, and self-control.