©Bonnie LaBelle
Chapter 10:8-20 (ESV) - He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him what will be after him?
The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know the way to the city.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
and your princes feast in the morning!
Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,
and your princes feast at the proper time,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
Bread is made for laughter,
and wine gladdens life,
and money answers everything.
Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
Question to consider: If a king is a child, why would he be getting drunk in the morning? What is Solomon talking about?
As teacher of the synagogues (Qoheleth), Solomon has set out on a course to prove that there is something beyond this world which is a mere vapor when considered by a heart focused on eternity. If there is nothing beyond this life, Solomon teaches that everything is meaningless, and the best advice he can give is to enjoy every part of it for as long as possible. Often, success goes to those who do good and demonstrate wisdom, but because of sin, this is not always the case. In fact, he may have even subtly admitted that as a ruler, there have been times in which he has been a fly in the ointment of life, dealing harshly with others who deserved better from him.
In order to maximize their potential for success, Qoheleth offers some proverbs promoting wisdom. The first is in realizing that there is inherent danger in labor so a person demonstrates wisdom by preparing for it. If you are a ditch digger, there’s a good chance you’ll fall into a pit at some point. If you mine stone in a quarry or split logs, you risk injury when using an unkempt instrument. Living in an older house, we’ve had mice in our walls and the snakes that like to eat them so if you’re a demolition expert, you should probably wear protective clothing.
Beyond precautions, it’s good to have proper training before starting a job. An untrained snake charmer is sure to get bit. Along with training his body, a wise man trains his tongue. A fool is recognized by his many words. A wise person learns when to speak and learns how to maximize the effect of his labor to multiply his success.
All the training and wisdom in the world are meaningless though if you are stuck in a foolish system run by an immature ruler. Here, Solomon is talking about a ruler who acts like a fool and not necessarily a literal child. Josiah was a child king who listened to true prophets like Jeremiah and Habakkuk and turned the people back to God even though his father, Manasseh, was one of the most wicked kings of Judah.
Belshazzar was in his twenties and lost Babylon because he spent his time in drunken feasts and cursing the God of Israel. There is a time for joyful celebration and a time in which it becomes sloth and debauchery. Blessed is a kingdom whose king has the self-control and decorum to celebrate appropriately with his people.
Like an immature king, Solomon warns against sloth and envy. It does not take long for a home to get into disrepair, and it is easy to blame our plights on those who have a life of ease. Solomon advises against this on the off chance that the word gets back to the person. In our day of social media, rumors can easily become digital evidence so it’s wise to only say things you would say to a person’s face.
Dear heavenly Father, we pray for our leaders and public servants to make wise decisions for the welfare of the commonwealth in which they serve. Give them wise counsel and a heart for good stewardship so that people can avoid unnecessary hardship. Thank You for all that You have given us, and help us to learn wisdom from our experiences. Amen.