One of the best parables of King Solomon. Parables of King Solomon - an appeal to posterity
Solomon is the third Jewish king who ruled the united Jewish state in times unknown. The opinions of historians about the era to which it should be attributed, and the nature of the processes taking place at that time, differ. Traditionally, he is assigned the role of a herald of wisdom, who did not ask God for anything secular for himself, but desired knowledge and the ability to use them, which he somehow gave to Solomon, the son of David. He is also traditionally considered the author of a number of philosophical and theological works - "The Book of Ecclesiastes", "Song of Songs" and "Book of Parables".
The personality of the king is overgrown with many legends, each of which is only a sample of the folklore of a particular era. For example, “Solomon's decision” is simply a synonym for a wise decision, and the expression “King Solomon's mines” is associated with legends and even methods of informational influence from the time of the Crusades. The knights were told that the treasures of King Solomon were hidden somewhere in Palestine in order to force them to take part in dubious military campaigns.
By nature, the parables are divided into synonymous, antithetical and parabolic. And in style they are poetic works of art that arose in ancient times. The essence of the material presented is an enumeration of completely banal imperatives that only occasionally remind readers or listeners that spiritual values are still more significant than material well-being.
In some places, Agur and King Lemuel are listed as authors. Agur's sayings are placed in the 30th chapter Proverbs of King Solomon, and Lemuel - in the 31st. King Lemuel is instructed by his mother. She warns him against the unrighteous behavior of a member of the elite. In particular, it recommends to beware of debauchery and drunkenness. It can be seen from the text that in her instructions, Lemuel's mother offers to give alcohol to poor, suffering people so that they can forget about their sorrows. But to the king and princes, she strongly recommends sobriety.
A new problem of authorship arose at the beginning of the 20th century. European Egyptologists have established that some of the biblical parables included in the collection of the Solomons almost verbatim repeat the teachings of Amenemope, which have come down to us in their entirety. Fragments of Proverbs 22:17 - 24:22 are allegedly completely identical to the Egyptian text. At present, most historians and Egyptologists agree with this. However, there are also objections. Egyptian pharaoh from the XXI dynasty Amenemope, who presumably ruled in 993-978 BC. e., could talk about the same thing as the ancient Jewish king, but later, seeing the similarity of meaning, Egyptologist translators repeated the text of parables, involuntarily put it into the mouth of the Egyptian pharaoh. However, the possibility that both texts include fragments of some earlier source, currently unknown, is not ruled out.
In any case, it is necessary to understand that this is not a separate work, but fragments and a compilation of some other works. Without a doubt, Canaan of the time of Solomon was in close contact with Egypt, and one of the wives of the Jewish king was an Egyptian, as indicated in the Bible itself. However, Solomon did not stop there. His wives included representatives of various nations and ethnic groups, including those with whom Jews were not supposed to marry. From a spiritual point of view, the tsar was clearly looking for wisdom quite widely and did not adhere to the views on religion that were primordial for the Jews. For his wives, as well as due to religious tolerance and tolerance, the king built temples in Jerusalem for Chemos and Moloch, and also served the goddess Astarte. This is clearly indicated by the Bible text from Kings 11:1-12. He also explains the reason for the death of the state after the death of Solomon.
In fact, it is not so important which culture dominated at that moment. In any case, like the teachings of Amenemope, they are primarily of social significance. These are advices not to plot evil to those who live nearby and are not afraid of anything, not to chat, not to hug violent and not to believe every word, but to carefully follow their ways. All this, no doubt, is useful, but people most often act in the exact opposite way.
In the book following the Proverbs, which is also included in the biblical corpus of the Solomon books, the author changes dramatically. Now it smells of fatalism and grief from the fact that a person always rules a person unrighteously, generating violence, rejecting kindness and decency. Corrupt courts and scoundrels in power are no longer scourged, but shown as a given. The righteous are doomed to suffering, and wisdom is only a vexation of the spirit. Such a truthful and compassionate Solomon, a preacher who pushes the reader to let the idea of renunciation of everything worldly arise in the mind by itself, is much closer and more useful for the thoughtful modern reader.
It is characteristic that the very last postscript of this book does not belong to the author, but to the ancient editor. He noted that one should be afraid of God and His commandments. The author-preacher, on the other hand, did not say anything of the kind, but only admitted the obvious:
“There is much sorrow in much wisdom;
And whoever multiplies knowledge, multiplies sorrow.
Kaluga region, Borovsky district, Petrovo village
It is located in the exhibition halls of the Himalayan House apart-hotel, as well as on the second floor of the Cultural Center of India. It includes over 100 exhibits, this is the greatest collection of busts of wise men of all times and peoples, who left the world the most valuable heritage - knowledge, indicated and demonstrated the path of spiritual development by their own example. Studying the works, scientific discoveries, philosophical treatises of these teachers, we come to understand that the basic system of values is based on a single foundation: the unity of religions, the unity of peoples and the unity of man and nature. Near each bust at the exhibition there is an information plate with a short story about the main merits of the Teacher to humanity, indicating significant dates and a list of his works. The exposition is always open for independent study.
Book of proverbs
1
Parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, in order to know wisdom and instruction, to understand the sayings of the mind; learn the rules of prudence, justice, judgment and righteousness; to give intelligence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and prudence; the wise will listen and increase knowledge; and the prudent will find wise advice to understand the parable and intricate speech, the words of the wise and their riddles.
The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; [good understanding in all who are led by him; but reverence for God is the beginning of understanding;] fools only despise wisdom and instruction.
Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and do not reject your mother's covenant, for this is a beautiful wreath for your head and an ornament for your neck.
My son! if sinners incline you, do not agree; if they say: “Come with us, we will lay an ambush for murder, we will lie in wait for the blameless without guilt, we will swallow them up alive like hell, and whole, as if they were descending into the grave; let us gather all precious possessions, let us fill our houses with booty; you will cast your lot with us, we will all have one warehouse, ”my son! do not travel with them, keep your foot from their path, for their feet run to evil and hasten to shed blood.
In the eyes of all birds, a net is laid in vain, but they lay an ambush for their blood and lie in wait for their souls.
Such are the ways of anyone who hungers for the good of others: it takes the life of the one who has taken possession of it.
Wisdom proclaims in the street, raises her voice in the squares, preaches in the main places of assembly, speaks her speech at the entrances to the city gates: “How long, ignorant ones, will you love ignorance? how long will the riotous delight in riot? how long will fools hate knowledge?
Turn to my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit on you, I will declare my words to you.
I called and you didn't listen; stretched out my hand, and no one listened; and you rejected all my advice and did not accept my reproofs.
For that I will laugh at your death; I will rejoice when terror comes upon you; when terror comes upon you like a storm, and trouble like a whirlwind comes upon you; when sorrow and distress come upon you.
Then they will call me, and I will not hear; in the morning they will look for me, and they will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge and did not choose for myself the fear of the Lord, they did not take my advice, they despised all my reproofs; therefore they shall eat of the fruits of their ways, and be satisfied with their thoughts.
Because the stubbornness of the ignorant will kill them and the carelessness of the fools will destroy them, and the one who listens to me will live safely and calmly, without fear of evil.
2
My son! if you receive my words and keep my commandments to yourself, so that you make your ear attentive to wisdom and incline your heart to meditation; if you invoke knowledge and appeal to reason; if you seek it like silver and seek it like treasure, you will understand the fear of the Lord and you will find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; He preserves salvation for the righteous; He is a shield for those who walk upright; He guards the ways of righteousness and guards the path of His saints.
Then you will understand truth and justice and uprightness, every good path.
When wisdom enters into your heart and knowledge is pleasing to your soul, then discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you in order to save you from the path of the evil one, from the man who speaks lies, from those who leave straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness; from those who rejoice in doing evil, delight in evil debauchery, whose ways are crooked and who wander in their paths; in order to save you from the wife of another, from a stranger who softens her speech, who has left the leader of her youth and forgot the covenant of her God.
Her house leads to death, and her paths to the dead; no one who enters it returns and enters the path of life.
Therefore walk in the way of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous, for the righteous will dwell on the earth and the blameless will dwell on it; but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the treacherous will be uprooted from it.
3
My son! do not forget my instructions, and let my commandments keep your heart; for lengths of days, years of life and peace they will add to you.
May mercy and truth not leave you: tie them around your neck, write them on the tablets of your heart, and you will find mercy and favor in the eyes of God and people.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.
Do not be a wise man in your eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil: this will be health for your body and nourishment for your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your gains, and your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your winepress will overflow with new wine.
Do not reject the punishment of the Lord, my son, and do not be burdened by His reproof; for whom the Lord loves, he punishes and favors him, as a father does to his son.
Blessed is the man who has gained wisdom, and the man who has gained understanding, because the acquisition of it is better than the acquisition of silver and the profit from it is greater than from gold: it is more expensive than precious stones; [no evil can resist her; she is well known to all who approach her,] and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Longevity is in her right hand, and in her left is wealth and glory; [truth comes out of her mouth; she carries law and mercy on her tongue;] her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
She is the tree of life for those who acquire her - and blessed are those who keep her!
The Lord founded the earth with wisdom, established the heavens with understanding; With his wisdom, the abysses are opened, and the clouds are sprinkled with dew.
My son! do not let them out of your sight; keep sound mind and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and an ornament for your neck.
Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down to sleep, you will not be afraid; and when you fall asleep, your sleep will be pleasant.
You will not be afraid of sudden fear and destruction from the wicked when it comes, because the Lord will be your hope and will keep your foot from being snared.
Do not refuse a favor to the needy, when your hand is able to do it.
Do not say to your friend: "Go and come again, and tomorrow I will give," when you have it with you. [For you do not know what the coming day will bring forth.]
Do not plot evil against your neighbor when he lives with you without fear.
Do not quarrel with a man for no reason, when he did no harm to you.
Do not compete with a man who acts violently, and do not choose any of his ways, because an abomination before the Lord is a depraved one, but with the righteous He has fellowship.
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the habitation of the godly.
If He laughs at the blasphemers, He gives grace to the humble.
The wise inherit glory, but the foolish inherit disgrace.
4
Listen, children, to the instruction of the father, and heed that you may learn understanding, for I have given you good teaching. Do not leave my commandments.
For I also was a son of my father, dearly beloved and the only one of my mother, and he taught me and said to me: let your heart keep my words; keep my commandments and live.
Get wisdom, get understanding: do not forget this and do not deviate from the words of my mouth.
Do not leave her, and she will guard you; love her and she will protect you.
The main thing is wisdom: get wisdom, and with all your possessions get understanding.
Appreciate her highly, and she will exalt you; she will glorify you if you cling to her; He will put a beautiful wreath on your head, he will bring you a magnificent crown.
Listen, my son, and accept my words - and the years of your life will be multiplied.
I show you the path of wisdom, I lead you on straight paths.
When you walk, your path will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.
Hold fast to the instruction, do not leave it, keep it, because it is your life.
Do not enter into the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the path of the wicked; leave it, do not walk on it, avoid it and pass by; because they will not sleep unless they do evil; their sleep is lost unless they cause someone to fall, for they eat the bread of iniquity and drink the wine of robbery.
The path of the righteous is like a luminous luminary, which shines more and more until full day.
The way of the lawless is like darkness; they don't know what they'll trip over.
My son! listen to my words and incline your ear to my words; let them not depart from your eyes; keep them within your heart: for they are life to him who finds them, and health to his whole body.
Above all things, guard your heart, for from it are the fountains of life.
Reject from yourself the deceitfulness of the mouth, and remove the deceitfulness of the tongue from you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelashes be directed straight ahead of you.
Consider the path for your foot, and let all your ways be firm.
Do not deviate either to the right or to the left; take your foot away from evil, [for the Lord watches the right ways, but the left ones are corrupted. He will make straight your paths, and arrange your walks in the world.]
5
My son! listen to my wisdom and incline your ear to my understanding, that you may be wise and that your mouth may preserve knowledge. [Pay no heed to a flattering woman;] for the lips of a strange woman exude honey, and her speech is softer than oil; but the consequences of it are bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword; her feet descend to death, her feet reach to hell.
If you wanted to comprehend the path of her life, then her ways are fickle and you will not recognize them.
So, children, listen to me and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
And you will groan afterward, when your flesh and your body are exhausted, and you will say: “Why did I hate instruction, and my heart despised reproof, and I did not listen to the voice of my teachers, I did not incline my ear to my teachers: I almost fell into every evil among the congregation and society!”
Drink water from your reservoir and flowing from your well.
Let [not] your springs overflow in the street, streams of water in the squares; let them belong to you alone, and not to strangers with you.
Your source be blessed; and take comfort in the wife of your youth, in the amiable doe and the beautiful chamois: let her breasts make you drunk at all times, delight in her love all the time.
And why should you, my son, be carried away by strangers and embrace the breasts of others?
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he measures all his paths.
The lawless one is caught by his own iniquities, and he is held in the bonds of his sin: he dies without guidance and is lost from the multitude of his folly.
6
My son! if you have pledged for your neighbor and given your hand for another, you have entangled yourself in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth.
Do this, my son, and save yourself this, because you have fallen into the hands of your neighbor: go, fall at your feet and implore your neighbor; do not give sleep to your eyes and slumber to your eyelids; be saved like a chamois from the hand of a fowler, and like a bird from the hand of a fowler.
Go to the ant, you sloth, look at its actions and be wise.
He has no boss, no supervisor, no master; but he prepares his bread in the summer, he gathers his food in the harvest. [Or go to the bee and know how industrious she is, what a respectable work she does; her works are used for health by both kings and commoners; she is loved by all and glorious; although she is weak in strength, she is respected in wisdom.]
How long will you, lazy, sleep? when will you get up from your sleep?
You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will lie down for a while with your hands folded: and your poverty and your need will come like a thief, like a passer-by. [But if you are not lazy, then your harvest will come like a fountain; poverty will run far from you.]
A wicked man, a wicked man, walks with lying lips, winks his eyes, speaks with his feet, makes signs with his fingers; deceit is in his heart: he plans evil at all times, he sows discord.
But suddenly his death will come, suddenly he will be broken - without healing.
Here are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are an abomination to His soul: proud eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that forges evil plans, feet that quickly run to evil, a false witness that speaks lies and sows discord among brothers.
My son! keep the commandment of your father and do not reject the instructions of your mother; Bind them forever on your heart, tie them around your neck.
When you go, they will guide you; when you lie down to sleep, they will guard you; when you wake up, they will converse with you: for the commandment is a lamp, and instruction is light, and edifying teachings are the way to life, to warn you from a worthless woman, from a flattering foreign language.
Do not wish for her beauty in your heart, [lest you be caught by your eyes,] and let her not carry you away with her eyelashes, because because of the prodigal wife become impoverished to a piece of bread, and a married wife catches a dear soul.
Can anyone take fire into his bosom, so that his dress does not burn?
Can anyone walk on burning coals without burning his feet?
The same thing happens with the one who enters his neighbor's wife: whoever touches her will not be left without guilt.
A thief is not let down if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; but, being caught, he will pay sevenfold, he will give all the property of his house.
Whoever commits adultery with a woman has no mind; he who does this destroys his soul: he will find beatings and disgrace, and his dishonor will not be blotted out, because jealousy is the fury of a man, and he will not spare on the day of vengeance, he will not accept any ransom and will not be satisfied, no matter how much you multiply gifts .
7
My son! keep my words and hide my commandments with you. [My son! Honor the Lord, and you will be strong, and besides Him fear no one.]
Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching is like the pupil of your eyes.
Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom: "You are my sister!" - and call the mind your relatives, so that they protect you from the wife of another, from a stranger, who softens her words.
So, one day I looked out the window of my house, through my bars, and saw among the inexperienced, I noticed among the young people an unreasonable young man crossing the square near the corner of it and walking along the road to her house, at twilight in the evening of the day, in the darkness of night and in darkness.
And now, a woman, dressed as a harlot, with an insidious heart, noisy and unbridled, met him; her feet do not live in her house: now in the street, now in the squares, and at every corner she builds coves.
She grabbed him, kissed him and with a shameless face said to him: “I have a peace offering: today I have made my vows; therefore I went out to meet you to find you, and found you; I have made my bed with carpets, with multi-colored Egyptian fabrics; she perfumed my bedroom with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon; come in, let's revel in tenderness until morning, enjoy love, because her husband is not at home: he went on a long journey; took a purse of silver with him; will come home by the day of the full moon.”
With many kind words she captivated him, with the softness of her lips she took possession of him.
Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, [and like a dog to a chain,] and like a deer to a shot, until the arrow pierces his liver; like a bird throws itself into snares and does not know that they are for its destruction.
So, children, listen to me and attend to the words of my mouth.
Let not your heart deviate in her way; do not wander in her paths, because she has cast down many wounded, and many mighty ones have been slain by her: her house is the way to hell, descending into the inner dwellings of death.
8
Does not wisdom call? and does not understanding lift up its voice?
She stands on elevated places, along the road, at crossroads; she calls at the gate at the entrance to the city, at the entrance to the door: “To you, people, I call, and to the sons of men my voice!
Learn, foolish ones, prudence, and foolish ones, wisdom.
Listen, for I will speak important things, and the utterance of my mouth is true; for my tongue speaks truth, and ungodliness is an abomination to my mouth; all the words of my mouth are just; there is no deceit and craftiness in them; they are all clear to the wise and just to those who have acquired knowledge.
Accept my teaching, not silver; knowledge is better than choice gold, because wisdom is better than pearls, and nothing desirable can compare with it.
I, wisdom, dwell with reason and seek judicious knowledge.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, and a deceitful mouth I hate.
I have advice and truth; I am the mind, I have the strength.
By me kings reign and rulers legitimize the truth; rulers and nobles and all the judges of the earth rule over me.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me; I have riches and glory, an indestructible treasure and truth; my fruits are better than gold, and the purest gold, and my profit is greater than choice silver.
I walk on the path of righteousness, on the paths of justice, in order to bring essential good to those who love me, and I fill their treasuries. [When I proclaim what is daily, I will not forget to number what is from eternity.]
The Lord had me as the beginning of His way, before His creatures, from the beginning; I have been anointed from time immemorial, from the beginning, before the existence of the earth.
I was born when there were no abysses yet, when there were no springs abundant with water.
I was born before the mountains were erected, before the hills, when He had not yet created either the earth, or the fields, or the initial dust particles of the Universe.
When He was preparing the heavens, I was there. When He drew a circle across the face of the abyss, when He established clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the abyss, when He fixed the sea so that the waters would not overstep its limits, when He laid the foundations of the earth: then I was an artist with Him and was a joy every day, rejoicing before His face all the time, rejoicing in His earthly circle, and my joy was with the sons of men.
So, children, listen to me; And blessed are those who keep my ways!
Listen to the instructions and be wise and don't back down From him.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching every day at my gates and standing guard at my doors! Because whoever has found me has found life and will receive grace from the Lord; but he who sins against me harms his soul: all who hate me love death.”
9
Wisdom built a house for herself, hewed out seven pillars of it, slaughtered the victim, dissolved her wine and prepared a table for herself; sent her servants to proclaim from the heights of the city: “Who is foolish, turn here!” And to the foolish one she said: “Go, eat my bread and drink the wine that I have dissolved; leave foolishness, and live, and walk in the way of reason.”
The one who teaches the blasphemer will gain dishonor for himself, and the one who rebukes the wicked will be a stain on himself.
Do not rebuke the scorner, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you; give instruction wise, and he will be even wiser; teach the truthful, and he will increase knowledge.
The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding, because through me your days will be multiplied and your years of life will be added.
My son! if you are wise, then wise for yourself [and for your neighbors]; and if buen, then you will endure one. [Whoever establishes himself in lies, he feeds the winds, he chases the birds that fly, for he has left the ways of his vineyard and wanders in the paths of his field; passes through a waterless desert and a land doomed to thirst; collects barrenness with his hands.]
A reckless, noisy, stupid and ignorant woman sits down at the door of her house on a chair, on the elevated places of the city, to call those who pass along the road, going straight in their own ways: “Who is stupid, turn here!” - and she said to the foolish one: "Stolen water is sweet and concealed bread is pleasant."
And he does not know that the dead are there and that in the depths of the underworld they are called by her. [But you jump back, do not hesitate on the spot, do not stop your gaze on her, for in this way you will pass someone else's water. Turn away from strange water and do not drink from a strange source, so that you live a long time and that years of life will be added to you.]
The Lessons of King Solomon.
Parable of freedom
One day someone came to Solomon and said to him: “King, help me! Every time I have to make a choice, I can't sleep well - I toss and suffer, and wonder if I did what I should. What should I do?"And the wise king answered: “There is no choice.”
And he asked again: “Would you throw yourself into the river if you saw a drowning child?”
The petitioner answered him: “Of course, the king!” Then Solomon said: “And yesterday, and today, and tomorrow?”
"Yes," was his answer.
And Solomon said: “You see, there is no choice. What to choose from, if every time you know how you would act, even before the turn of action comes? Having imagined any event in detail, you immediately know what to do. Every time you will choose what is best for you, and under the same circumstances you will always act in the same way – yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”
Solomon also said: “The only place where we can really make a choice is in our hearts. Change yourself, and what you, without hesitation, would have done yesterday, tomorrow will no longer seem to you the best. Then, and only then, can you do something different. So go in peace and know that whatever you did was the best thing you could do.”
The petitioner bowed to the ground and went out, and has slept peacefully ever since...
The Mystery of King Solomon's Ring
In ancient times, there lived King Solomon. Although he was unusually wise, his life was very hectic. Once he decided to seek advice from the court sage: “Help me - a lot in this life can drive me crazy. I am subject to passions, and this greatly complicates my life!” To which the Sage replied: “I know how to help you. Put on this ring - the phrase is engraved on it: “THIS WILL PASS!” When strong anger or great joy comes to you, just look at this inscription and it will sober you. In this you will find salvation from passions!Solomon followed the advice of the Sage and was able to find peace. But once, during one of the fits of anger, he, as usual, looked at the ring, but this did not help - on the contrary, he lost his temper even more. He tore off the ring from his finger and wanted to throw it away into the pond, but suddenly he saw that there was also some kind of inscription on the inside of the ring. He looked closely and read: "THIS WILL ALSO GO..."
The Book of Proverbs of Solomon or simply Proverbs is one of the Old Testament books of the Bible. Included in the cycle of teaching books, located after the Psalter. As we know from the biblical story, God gave Solomon wisdom. This wisdom is reflected in the book of Proverbs.
Read the parables of Solomon.
There are 31 chapters in the Book of Proverbs of Solomon.
According to the form of presentation, the Parables are a poetic work. The authorship of the book of Proverbs belongs to Solomon. And this is the only Old Testament book whose authorship is not practically disputed. The parables of Solomon are mainly moral and religious in nature.
The book of Proverbs of Solomon is a fragmentary or connected exposition of a philosophical and aphoristic nature. It is a list of speculative truths about God and life, rules of reason, observation of daily life.
The book of Proverbs is divided into 3 parts.
Part 1. A collection of Solomon's speeches, in which Solomon conveys his wisdom. Wisdom in the book is identified with the great good. This is what every mortal should strive for. The first part includes 10 chapters. In these chapters, Solomon discusses the properties of wisdom and how to acquire it. Solomon warns those who embark on the path of seeking wisdom about possible obstacles in the form of excessive curiosity.
Solomon paints portraits of wisdom and stupidity, bringing these concepts to life. Wisdom is considered by the author to be the only good.
Part 2. Samples of the wisdom of Solomon. Solomon gives his instructions on human relations and moral conduct.
Part 3 The third part of the book consists of the parables of Solomon, which were written by Hezekiah's friends. For the most part, these are political and practical parables. At the end of the book - the parables of Agur and the instructions of mother Lemuel
Types of parables of Solomon.
According to the features of the presentation of the material, the parables are divided into
Synonymous. The second half of the verse repeats the thought of the first in other words.
- Evil inflicts on oneself who vouches for an outsider; and whoever hates guaranty is safe.
- Joy to a man is in the answer of his mouth, and how good a word is at the right time!
Antithetical. The second half of the verse gives the opposite of the first.
- A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
- The spirit of man endures his infirmities; and a stricken spirit, who can sustain it?
Parabolic. Finding similar moments in various phenomena.
- Like a golden ring in a pig's nose, the woman is beautiful and reckless.
- Golden apples in silver transparent vessels - a word well said.
Interpretation of the Book of Proverbs of Solomon
The purpose of Solomon's parables was to express wisdom in memorable and witty sayings. The wise advice of Solomon is distinguished by its religious orientation and the nature of divine revelation - the direct source of Solomon's wisdom.
Wisdom is represented as a power that speaks through the sages. The wisdom of man is nothing but a part of the highest Wisdom.
Solomon's wisdom is based on reverence for God and has a practical character. The source of all true wisdom for Solomon is in the law of God. The set of instructions in the book is a moral legislation, ethical standards of behavior and are universal in nature - that is, they are applicable to everyone, regardless of time and nationality.
The law of Moses found a new reflection in the book of Proverbs. Solomon, following Moses, explored the secrets of the Torah.
The Christian Orthodox Church testifies to its respect for the book of Proverbs by its wide use in church services. Readings from this book are more common than from other Old Testament books.
King Solomon is a ruler known for his wisdom and ability to make wise and correct decisions in situations that seem intractable. The parables of King Solomon are studied in schools, the monarch's quotes are used as parting words, and the life experience of this person is set as an example for those who have gone astray. This ruler was destined by fate to become what he became. After all, his very name Shlomo (Solomon) is translated from Hebrew as “peacemaker” and “perfect”.
Ascension to the throne
Solomon was the youngest, the fourth son and his wife Bathsheba. His two older brothers, Amnon and Avshalom, died while still very young. The eldest was now the third son, whose name was Adonijah. The laws of those times required that it was he who occupied the throne of the king, but David swore to his wife that only Solomon would be his successor, and only he would give him the right to lead the entire Israeli state. His father's decision upset Adonijah, so he enlisted the support of those who considered him a more suitable heir. These persons were the commander of Yoav and the high priest of Eviatar. Those who took the side of Solomon expressed the opinion that Adonijah was not the firstborn offspring of David, and therefore the monarch could judge the children as he saw fit.
Even during the life of David, Solomon and Adonijah began a struggle for the right to rule. Adonijah wanted to win over the people with a truly royal feast. He surrounded himself with a large number of horsemen, started many walkers and chariots. Adonijah set the day when he would proclaim himself the new ruler of Israel. At the appointed time, he gathered all his close associates and, in honor of the holiday, arranged a stormy celebration in the vicinity of the city. Bathsheba became aware of this event and, turning to the prophet Nathan, she was able to convince her husband to immediately appoint Solomon as head of the country. Near the source of Gihon, in the presence of the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan and a detachment of bodyguards, the clergyman blessed Solomon for the kingdom. All those who, at least out of the corner of their ears, heard about the perfect rite, recognized the newly-made monarch as their ruler.
Adonius became aware of what had happened. He was afraid of his brother's wrath and fled to the sanctuary. Solomon promised him his pardon in exchange for decent behavior. This is told in the parables of King Solomon, which have survived to this day.
Saint Tatevatsi and his interpretation
Grigor Tatevatsi (XIV-XV centuries) - a great philosopher, church figure, teacher and theologian from Armenia. He left an extraordinary mark in the history of literature and science of the Middle Ages. It was he who wrote a work called "The Interpretation of the Proverbs of Solomon." The work was of small volume, therefore, like other categories, it was not awarded the attention of publishers and textual critics. And this is due to the fact that in his manuscripts the philosopher commented on different parts of the Bible, revealing his own economic, ethical, pedagogical and socio-political views.
It can be safely asserted that the parables of King Solomon, the interpretation of which was undertaken by Tatevatsi, are worthy of being published and given a scientific assessment. "The Interpretation of the Parables of Solomon" is a book that belongs to the number of moralizing works written by Tatevatsi. They are addressed to those who study biblical texts in great detail. Commenting on the parables of the king, Grigor in some places also refers to his own views of an ethical nature. He also interprets religious morality in his own way, which the legendary king expresses in parables. Explaining the meaning of the parables, Tetevatsi reinforces each of his remarks with a large number of references and quotations to other books of Holy Scripture.
The most famous ring in the world
The parables of King Solomon number about three thousand writings, which made up 31 sections of the Book of Solomon's parables. Royal tales are parting words to a young lady on how to live correctly in the world.
One of the most famous parables is the parable of the ring of King Solomon. She tells how Solomon turned to his court sage with a request to help him cope with his feelings. The son of David was reputed to be a wise man, but his life was restless, he often succumbed to passions that upset him incredibly. To this, the sage replied that he was giving the ruler a ring with an engraved inscription: “It will pass!” He said that as soon as Solomon felt joy or disappointment, he should look at the decoration and read the engraving, which would sober up the ruler. It is in it that he must find salvation from oppressive experiences.
Thanks to the sage, Solomon found peace. But once the king became angry like never before, and even the inscription on the ring did not help him. He took off the jewelry and wanted to throw it away, but on the inside he found the following phrase: “This too shall pass!”
An old song with a modern twist
The parable of King Solomon “Everything will pass” was highly appreciated not only by our ancestors, but also by contemporaries. So, on its basis, the latter composed their own, so to speak, wisdom: one person turned to a psychologist to help him. After all, he lost his job, there is practically no money to exist, and all his friends turned away. The doctor told the man to spread out in all rooms, in all prominent places, a piece of paper with the inscription: "Everything will pass." After some time, the man again came to the doctor and said that everything was fine: he found a great job, reconciled with his wife, found new friends. He asked the doctor if the notes could be thrown away, but the doctor replied: “Why? Let them lie still.”
great wisdom
Israel spoke of the great wisdom of King Solomon after he judged two women. The parable of King Solomon about the child proved that this ruler is indeed a perspicacious ruler and judge. The essence of the legend is that two mothers appeared before the monarch. Both gave birth to sons on the same day, but one of them had a boy who died. Each claimed that the living child was her baby. Then Solomon ordered to bring a sword and cut the crumb in half, so that one and the other woman would get half of the child. One mother shouted in horror not to do this, but to give the child alive to her opponent. The other, on the contrary, agreed to such a decision, they say, let neither her nor me get it. The king proclaimed that the son should be given to the one who was opposed to cutting the baby, for only a real mother is capable of mercy.
The best years in the history of the country
King Solomon ruled Israel from 965 BC. e. to 928 BC. e. This time is called the era when the monarchy flourished. During the 40 years of his reign, Solomon gained fame as the wisest ruler in the whole world. It was built during the life of the king. The parables of King Solomon prove the true wisdom of the ruler and his greatness. Moreover, they have not lost their relevance to this day.
