3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
Illustrations From Nature
The writer of Proverbs has obviously spent a lot of time observing the natural world. By way of analogy and illustration there is a lot that can be learned from the natural world. Wisdom is rooted in reality because it is, in truth, God’s reality. When we look at the real world around us we learn how principles are embedded in the way things are. Maybe take some time to spend a while in your back yard and observe the birds and the flowers. What does what you see illustrate or teach you?
Questions
- What things does the writer observe in nature?
- To what does the writer compare the things that he sees in nature?
- How does the fact that the natural world is imperfect or fallen play into the writer’s worldview?
- What do you learn from nature?
- How do you illustrate the truths you communicate with friends and family?
Plymothian 