Proverbs 1:26
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,
Melani Pyke, Wisdom’s Warning, oil and acrylic on canvas, 2018
Inspired by Proverbs chapter 1, which introduces the overall theme of Proverbs of listening to God’s teaching. Wisdom is personified as a woman, and I picture her as an angelic being made of light shouting out a warning in the middle of a dark and noisy city where all can hear her and have the choice whether to listen to her or not.
The Book of Proverbs
Practical wisdom for living is the central concern of the book of Proverbs. We are told that the beginning and essence of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (1:7; 9:10). Proverbs often contrasts the benefits of seeking wisdom and the pitfalls of living a fool’s life. While the wicked stumble in the “deep darkness” (4:19), “the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day” (v.18). Proverbs is a collection of Israelite wisdom literature; including an introductory section (chs. 1-9) that gives readers a framework for understanding the rest of the book. The book includes the work of various authors, but much of it is attributed to King Solomon. It dates from between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C.