LIFE’S COMMON SENSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1070, 6 September 1930, Page 26

LIFE’S COMMON SENSE

THE BOOK OF PROVERBS

LUMINOUS GEMS OF THOUGHT

“The wisdom of many, and the wit of one,” is perhaps the best definition of a proverb. The traditional folkwisdom of the Jewish people passed through a kind of jewel cutting process in the hands of various sages, who shaped it into luminous gems ot' thought (writes Kenneth Henderson, In the “Sydney Morning Herald”). The philosophical introduction (cc. IIX.) to the practical maxims composed under the influence of the same Greek illumination that inspired the glorious Book of Wisdom in the Apocrypha, displays wisdom as the reverent and sympathetic insight into the mind of God working in the nature of things. The Book is thoroughly optimistic in tone. It is also thoroughly realistic in emphasising that, this wisdom, gracious, attractive and life-giving as it is, is also inexorable law, and they who refuse it choose their own destruction. The guidance of wisdom is life’s true principle of progress. “The path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shineth more -and more unto the perfect day.” Perfect here means complete. The growing light of the mind steadily overcomes darkness and perplexity till the whole working day is lit by the sunshine of understanding.

Though the other five sages also recognise wisdom as “God’s own commonsense,” they give most of their attention to practical advice. Let us take first those counsels which apply to “what a man does with his own solitariness” in Whitehead’s phrase. First, what are the material circumstances of life most favourable to brewing life clearly, calmly, and with integrity? The fifth sage answers “the middle way.” “Two things hare 1 asked of Thee; deny me them not before I die; Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me; Lest I be full aud deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest 1 be poor and steal and use profanely the name of my God.” The dangers of over-confidence and arrogance flash out continually. “Let

another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth: a stranger and not thine own lips.” Beware of “fishing” for compliments, “it is not good to eat too much honey so for men to search out their glory is not glory.” Without humility one cannot make progress in 'rommonsense. “Whoso loveth correction loveth knowledge; but he that hateth reproof is brutish.” The soundl:J-based self-confidence of the honest man is contrasted with the chronic tearfulness of the man who distrusts his own motives. “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” An honourable reputation and the esteem of friends are the most satisfying kinds of wealth. “A good name is rather to be chosen than riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.” As Burns said. “A man’s a man for a’ that.” Many are the counsels advising a thoughtful reserve in speech; “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in baskets of silver.” Each man must live his inner life alone, and none may enter into the changing moods of another. “The heart knoweth its own bitterness, and no outsider shares its joy. Even in laughter the heart may be aching, and joy may end his sorrow.”

Friendship Faithfulness is the soul of friendship. “He that maketh many friends does it to his own destruction; but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” The often painful sincerities of friendship are contrasted with the treacherous effusiveness ot flattery. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.” Tlie old family friend is said to be relied on in difficulties. “Neglect not a friend who was your lather's friend, go to his house when you are in trouble, for a neighbour near is better than a brother who is far away.” But friendship, just because it is intimate understanding, has its subtle dangers. Of these (lie subtlest is that poisonous pleasure that we get from gently criticising our friends in gossiping to each other.

“A perverse man scattereth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.” And: “For lack of wood the fire goeth out; and where (here is no whisperer contention ceaseth.” Pause in argument before It makes a breach. “The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore, leave off contention, before there be quarrelling.” Do not dwell on grievances. “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.” It is just those intimate and precious friendships that, once lost, are hardest to recover; “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city.”

“As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout so is a fair woman which is without" discretion,” says the sage feelingly. The first of these philosophers. as we have seen, speaks of ihe strength and refreshment of married faithfulness. “Drink waters out of thine own cistern.” These others concern themselves with Ihe life of the

home. Marry for love, one advises. The alternative is dreadful. "Better j is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.” “Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith than a house full of feasting with strife.” "It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than with a contentious woman in a wide house.” “The mutual comfort which they ought, to have one of another" is vividly etched: "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.” The mordant “bite” of these sentences throws into relief the nobly generous poem in praise of the wise wife and mother with which the book concludes. (Ch. 31, vv„ 10-SI.) A rare find is an able wife; she is worth far more than rubies. Her husband may depend upon lier. and never lose by that . . .((here follows a detailed picture of her household management). To the poor folk she is generous and lends a hand to tlje forlorn. Her husband is a man of Dote, he sits with the sheiks in council. . . . Strong and secure in her position, she can afford to he cheerful, looking ahead. She talks shrewd sense, and offers kindly counsel. . . . Her sons congratulate her, and thus her husband praises her: “Many a woman does nobly, but you outdo them all.” Charms may wane and beauty wither, keep your praise for a wife with brains; give her due credit | for her deeds, praise her in public for ! her services.

The hook sparkles with isolated little gems which readers will delight In discovering for themselves. Thus it is written of the flowering of joy long hoped for: “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, bur when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Thus of the value of encouragement: “Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop, but a good word maketh it glad.” The wisdom of magnanimity is repeatedly urged: “If thine enemy he hungry, give him bread to eat: and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; lor so thou shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee." Of self-control it is said: "He vhose spirit is without restraint, is like a city that is broken down, and hath no wall.” The disciple of an ideal utters itself in the famous sentence: “Where there is no vision, the people cast off all restraint.”

There is a delightful piquancy in the little collection of sayings in the thirtieth chapter:

“The horse-leech hath two daughters crying give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied—yea, four that say not enough. The grave, and the barren wontb; the earth, that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not. enough. “There be three things which are too wonderful for me—yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air: the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of tho sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

“For three things the earth doth tremble, and for four which it cannot bear; For a servant when he is king; and a fool when he is filled with meat : for an odious woman when she is married (I am afraid, it should be translated “a plain girl who at last, gets married”), and a handmaid that supplants her mistress.” In the enjoyment of this hook, every reader will he his own discoverer.