Sunday Sermonette: Pure Drivel

Honestly, I wouldn't inflict this on any of you or on myself but I made a pledge in the beginning to read the whole thing so that's what I'm doing. I would be willing to classify one or two of these as bon mots, or at least something that might be worth saying on just the right occasion. But it's mostly either banal or ridiculous. No, the righteous are not always rewarded and the wicked punished. (Verse 21) In fact, we learn in verse 16 that "Ruthless men gain only wealth." Well, that's what they want! 

Verse 4 is interesting. The "day of wrath" in Christian usage is judgment day. But Judaism does not generally conceive of an afterlife. If this refers to some worldly catastrophe, of course wealth is indeed often very useful. In any case, as I say, if you sort through these you will find innumerable contradictions. I expect that whoever compiled these kept a notebook and wrote down whatever he heard people say, or whatever came to mind. Possibly he asked people to offer pithy sayings. Anyway they're in no particular order and they don't cohere into any sort of consistent philosophy or narrative. Very few of these have made it into common usage.

1 The Lord detests dishonest scales,
    but accurate weights find favor with him.

² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with humility comes wisdom.

³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

⁴ Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
    but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
    but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

⁷ Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
    all the promise of^[a] their power comes to nothing.

⁸ The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
    and it falls on the wicked instead.

⁹ With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.

¹⁰ When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
    when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹ Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
    but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

¹² Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
    but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.

¹³ A gossip betrays a confidence,
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

¹⁴ For lack of guidance a nation falls,
    but victory is won through many advisers.

¹⁵ Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,
    but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.

¹⁶ A kindhearted woman gains honor,
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

¹⁷ Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

¹⁸ A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

¹⁹ Truly the righteous attain life,
    but whoever pursues evil finds death.

²⁰ The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,
    but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

²¹ Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
    but those who are righteous will go free.

²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

²⁵ A generous person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

²⁶ People curse the one who hoards grain,
    but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

²⁷ Whoever seeks good finds favor,
    but evil comes to one who searches for it.

²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will fall,
    but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

²⁹ Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
    and the one who is wise saves lives.

³¹ If the righteous receive their due on earth,
    how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from