THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE (A Narrative) #01

1. The Proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
   (Evidence is now available to prove King David ACTUALLY existed; archeologists discovered the lost Philistine city of Ziklag, [where David fled from King Saul who wanted him dead] uncovering a room full of intact pottery marked 'House of David.')

2. To know wisdom and instruction; To perceive the words of understanding,
   (The wise know how to measure the gains from experience in life; the wise have a natural ability to understand things most people do not, wisdom offers a good sense for what may be proper or reasonable)

3. To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;
   (The wise find it easy to follow through on a command when the teacher can articulate how to do something; the wise have honed the skill of fair judgment, and are you fair in the way they treat others)

4. To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion-
   (A wise person is careful to weigh the risks of a decision, avoiding excessive danger in particular situations)

5. A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
   (Wisdom gives you the ability to know how something works or happens, as well as the meaning of how someone thinks, feels or behaves.)

6. To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.
   (Wisdom provides you with the ability to understand and explain difficult riddles)

7. The fear of the LORD (Yahuah) is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
   (The wise know how to approach those who view knowledge as contemptible or worthless and can offer advice on how to correct this aversion)

SHUN EVIL COUNSEL

1. My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;
   (The wise possess knowledge from an earlier time period of which younger generations are tempted to discard entirely)

2. For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.
   (Knowledge of history allows the wise to explain the past in a contemporary, attractive way which helps hold interest; the wise understand the importance of control over their emotions and behavior)

3. My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.
   (This passage addresses the attraction or appeal of someone or something that could be deemed harmful to the person or criminal in nature; temptation usually arouses a lost hope or a desirable longing, unfulfilled)

4. If they say, 'Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
   ('The word secret is repugnant in an open and free society…' -John F. Kennedy)
   

5. Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
   (One gift of wisdom allows the possessor to avoid the pit of hell that is offered by those who operate in secret)

6. We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
   ('To the victor go the spoils,' so goes the motto of those who act in secret)

7. Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse'-
   (A lot is an object used as a counter to determine a resulting choice by chance, a simple explanation of worldly fate or fortune; in the contemporary understanding, this passage is a direct warning against mutual fund investment)

8. My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;
   (The wise should take this criticism as an obligation, an express warning of disapproval given in a gentle, earnest manner)

9. For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.
   (This passage offers an explanation to the criticism, above; those who act in secret seek the ultimate harm of those they entice)

10. Surely, in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird;
    (Nothing says, "You're BUSTED," like getting caught in the very trap that you, yourself set for someone else)

11. But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives.
    (Members who operate in secret are the victims of the own schemes)

12. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners. (Self-Explanatory)

THE CALL OF WISDOM

1. Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
   (According to the king, wisdom comes from a woman)

2. She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:
   (The gates of an ancient city is where the elders would gather and pass along worthwhile information / useless gossip of the day pertaining to events found, both inside and outside of the walls and surrounding territories)

3. 'How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.
   (This passage confronts those who are not very intelligent, and lack any level of good sense of right judgment; fools lack self respect and display harsh criticism in their judgment of matters where they lack understanding)

4. Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
   (A key attribute of the wise allows for change of attitude or direction when a critical reprimand is offered, a self examination check and balance which leads to yet more wisdom for the possessor)

5. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

6. Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
   (These passages act as a warning to those who do not take reprimand seriously, no consideration or respect is given to the advisor)

7. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
   (Those in authority laugh at those they rule over when there is a failure to communicate, regardless of whether their attitude is right or wrong)

8. When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
   (The hope is that the reader embraces wisdom as if their life depends upon it!)

9. "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
   (There is a limit to the patience of the wise, bringing an urgency to the message so the reader would take immediate action)

10. Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, (Yashua)
    (The wise are furthermore admonished to hate what is evil and cling to what is good)

11. They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.
    (The wise are characterized by the usefulness of their advice, the purpose of which should set the ground work for a plan of action or behavior with successful results)

12. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
    (The wise seek advice and counsel, the fool is wise in their own eyes)

13. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
    (The wise always seek to improve a situation or circumstances; the fool is satisfied with how things are and do not seek to change the status quo)

14. But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil."
    (No need to join a secret society to understand these 33 passages of wisdom)