The 'BARKING OWL' always has something to say, and like the feathered version, can be either WISE...............or ANNOYING!







Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting May 29th on Proverbs 29:9-12


[If you have been here before, in May, then you might want to skip down below the green for today's post.]


"Thirty days hath September, 
April, June and November
All the rest have 31
Except February which has 28
Except during leap year when it has 29"

NO I DID NOT WRITE THIS "POEM"!  (Talk about free verse!)

Why didn't somebody just point out that the four months that do NOT have 31 days (except February, and everyone knows all about February The Exceptional) come every other month except that there is no 30 day month between July and August?  The silly poem above mixes up the order just to hide the fact that the real 30 day months come in two orderly pairs: April/June and September/November.  Can somebody please write a non-silly poem for us that will make this clear, and stick in our minds, but without gooping them up with exceptions (and please just leave February out of it!)?

And to make matters (far) worse, MILLERWRITES has created a Proverbs Pull-A-Part Plan that decimates that fine collection of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, by spreading commentary on each chapter out over 7 months (the good 31 day months)!  Oh don't ask me to explain his system.  You can try to decipher what he said about it at the top of any P31P posts from January or March if you like, or just follow along this month and figure it out.
All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied here from Biblegateway.com


REMEMBER: My ideas may be oh so mesmerizing, but you will get more benefit from simply reading the chapter itself!


So here I offer my amateur comments on verses 9-12.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither       (neither inspired, nor red).



PROVERBS 29

1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed —without remedy.


2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.


3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.


4 By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for[a] bribes tear it down.


5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.


6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.


7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern.


8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.


9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.


9) Fools never know when to quit do they?  Have you seen the videos of forlorn defendants who decide that their best last hope is to jump over the table and simply escape out the door?  Someone usually gets hurt, but never away.


10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.

10) I used to think I could talk someone out of their evil intent, but this type of hatred speaks only its own language.  So if I am ever "upright" enough, or so full of integrity as to be the target of such a bloodthirsty hate, will someone make sure to tell my wife I love her, and my kids that I'm sorry I never made a list of who gets which of my tools, so they'll have to just fight over them.


11 Fools give full vent to their rage,
but the wise bring calm in the end.

11) I heard this proverb mentioned on the radio recently, and thought "uh-oh".  You see, I have another blog called MILLERVENTS!  Though I do not necessarily give "full vent" to any "rage" exactly, perhaps I should be extra careful to make an attempt to "bring calm in the end" of those posts, lest the "fool" label fit.

12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.

12) Indeed.



13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.


14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.


15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.


16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.


17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.


18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.


19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.


20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.


21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.


22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.


23 Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.


24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.


25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.


26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.


27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.




By the way...MILLERWRITES copy is COPYRIGHTED. Why cut and paste when you can simply copy the link?

No comments:

Post a Comment

I can't wait to see your response so, unless you can leave a pizza, please leave the next best thing; your comment!