 Proverbs 14:1-35
Hebraic Literary Structure
by Ed Nelson
Proverbs 14:6-18 is an example of the Hebraic literary structure known as reverse symmetry. The type of reverse symmetry used by the writer is known today as chiasm. A chiastic structure always has a double middle, in this case M and M¹, as against a single middle (reverse concentric symmetry). The main emphasis of a chiasm is on the first and last lines of thought, the extreme edges of the literary structure. The double middle serves to “bounce” the movement back to the edges. The main emphasis is the two lines (A and A¹) shown in bold letters. When read as a single unit, they summarize the main thought and theme of the passage.
Chiasm, a form of reverse symmetry
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
B but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
C Walk away from the presence of a foolish man,
D for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
E The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought
to their ways,
F but the folly of fools is deception.
G Fools mock at making amends for sin,
H but goodwill is found among the upright.
I Each heart knows its own bitterness,
J but a stranger does not share its joy.
K The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
L but the tent of the upright will flourish.
M There is a way that seems right to a man
M¹ and in the end it leads to death.
L¹ Even in laughter the heart may ache
K¹ and joy may end in grief.
J¹ A backslider in heart is amply satisfied
in his ways,
I¹ but the good man will be amply satisfied
from above.
H¹ A simple man believes anything,
G¹ but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
F¹ A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil,
E¹ but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.
D¹ A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
C¹ and a man of intrigue will be hated.
B¹ The simple inherit folly,
A¹ but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Main point of chiasm. The main point of the chiasm, as shown in bold letters, is lines A and A¹. Read as a single unit, it reads as follows: “A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.”
Alternate readings of the passage. When the literary structure is shown in its viable units of symmetrical thought and action, what is yielded are alternate readings of the text intended by the author to give a wider range of treatment of the subject. Such style is common to ancient Hebraic prose and poetry. The passage is understood no longer as only forward moving from the first word to the last word, our English way of reading, but as an action-filled text filled with a variety of literary pulsations, feelings, experiences and expressions. In this light, consider the following ways of reading the passage:
1. The plain [pashat] symmetrical reading of the text. This is the simple and obvious reading common to all literature. You start at the beginning and read to the end and take the passage at face value. For example, the first sentence in Proverbs 14:6 is read in the following order:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
B but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
2. The symmetrically paired reading of the text. This second level or method to read a biblical passage expresses a more holistic intention of the author to show other actions, information and thought consistent to the theme. For example, the plain reading shown above, when lines A and B are paired in reverse symmetry to lines A¹ and B¹, we get an amplified, or louder statement of the writer:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
A¹ but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
B¹ The simple inherit folly,
B but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
The bold lines are the main point of the chiasm. The normal lines (B¹ and B) are amplifications of the main point. In this example, the amplification occurs like the making of a sandwich by adding more ingredients within the brackets of bread. The process continues alphabetically moving forward until the double center is reached. The double center “bounces” the thought back to the extremities of the passage (A and A¹).
3. The alternating reading of the symmetrical pairs of the text. In this instance, this form of reading the passage happens to be the same as #2. It is characterized by alternating back and forth from the top to the bottom, and bottom to top as matched pairs are read in succession towards the double center, in this case towards M and M¹. Proverbs tend to lend themselves to this type of reading as does other poetic lines in the Hebrew Bible. The reading proceeds in this manner: A to A¹, B¹ to B, C to C¹, D¹ to D, E to E¹, F¹ to F, G to G¹, H¹ to H, etc., to the double center M and M¹.
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
A¹ but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
B¹ The simple inherit folly,
B but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
C Walk away from the presence of a foolish man,
C¹ and a man of intrigue will be hated.
D¹ A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
D for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
E The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought
to their ways,
E¹ but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.
F¹ A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil,
F but the folly of fools is deception.
G Fools mock at making amends for sin,
G¹ but a prudent man gives thought
to his steps.
H¹ A simple man believes anything,
H but goodwill is found among the upright.
I Each heart knows its own bitterness,
I¹ but the good man will be amply satisfied
from above.
J¹ A backslider in heart is amply satisfied
in his ways,
J but a stranger does not share its joy.
K The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
K¹ and joy may end in grief.
L¹ Even in laughter the heart may ache
L but the tent of the upright will flourish.
M There is a way that seems right to a man
M¹ and in the end it leads to death.
4. The chiastic reading of the alternating symmetrical pairs. This method of reforming the pairs according to the literary style of chiasm only compounds. Another chiasm is formed yielding a new reading and a second main point. Taking the above passage modified by alternating symmetrical pairs that are top down and bottom up, we reset it alphabetically as follows:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
B but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
C The simple inherit folly,
D but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
E Walk away from the presence of a foolish man,
F and a man of intrigue will be hated.
G A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
H for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
I The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought
to their ways,
J but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.
K A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil,
L but the folly of fools is deception.
M Fools mock at making amends for sin,
M¹ but a prudent man gives thought
to his steps.
L¹ A simple man believes anything,
K¹ but goodwill is found among the upright.
J¹ Each heart knows its own bitterness,
I¹ but the good man will be amply satisfied
from above.
H¹ A backslider in heart will be amply satisfied
in his ways,
G¹ but a stranger does not share its joy.
F¹ The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
E¹ and joy may end in grief.
D¹ Even in laughter the heart may ache
C¹ but the tent of the upright will flourish.
B¹ There is a way that seems right to a man
A¹ and in the end it leads to death.
The main point has been amplified further:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
A¹ and in the end it leads to death.
5. Further refinement, or cycling of the chiasm. This whole process can be repeated again and again, further yielding successive sub-points about the main subject, the futility and fate of the scorner. Eventually, the original chiasm, having featured all the sub-points through this process, will reappear intact.
For example, the next combination of A and A¹ is:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
A¹ but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
Summary. By unraveling the literary style used by the writer of this passage, we discovered more about the main subject and theme. First we learned from the plain meaning [pashat] that scorners lack true perspective about life:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
B but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
Then we learned from the reverse symmetrical pattern of pairings found in the chiasm that their lives are filled with futility. All they thought was gain was mere loss:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
A¹ but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Next, from the chiastic reading of the alternating symmetrical pairs we discovered the direction and fate of scorners—meaningless death:
A A scorner seeks wisdom and finds none,
A¹ and in the end it leads to death.
With this understanding we have gained four key points of emphasis about scorners: (1) their lack of a true outlook on life and its purpose, (2) their futility in the chase for life, (3) their destiny as meaningless death, and (4) their lack of thoughtfulness about their life walk.
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