Verse 1 — “Does not wisdom call.” The word for wisdom here is chakmah, it is the equivalent of the Greek sofia and it refers to the application of e)pignwsij doctrine or metabolised doctrine to experience. Chakmah is epignwsij. Wisdom calling is the application of doctrine to experience; “and understanding lift up her voice?”
Verse 2 — “On top of the high places on the street [doctrine was taught in city auditoriums], At intersections she takes a stand.” The doctrine was taught outdoors in those days at places where people gathered. “She” refers to Bible doctrine.
Verse 3 — “Beside the gates leading to the city, At the entrance she communicates aloud.” They often had small auditoriums at the gates of cities.
Verse 4 — “To you, mankind, I call; And my voice [communication of doctrine] is to all mankind.”
Verse 5 — “You who are ignorant, learn doctrine [learning, of course, must precede thinking]; You who are fools [referring to negative volition], learn the importance of understanding [the importance of application of doctrine].”
Verse 6 — “Hear [qal imperative from shamah. You have to hear, concentrate, listen], for I [doctrine] speak noble things; And the communication of my lips is virtue.”
Verse 7 — “For my mouth [the personification of doctrine] communicates truth; For my lips detest evil.”
Verse 8 — “All the words of my communication are integrity; Nothing is twisted or perverted in them.” [Twisting and reversion refers to false application of doctrine or misunderstanding of doctrine or the heresies that are passed for doctrine. If you are twisted in your understanding you are perverted in your thinking. If you are twisted in learning you are perverted in application.]
Verse 9 — “To those who understand [the hiphil participle of the verb bin, causative active voice, which means we are caused to understand. This is the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.] they are all to the point, And perspicuous to those who have obtained knowledge [the qal active participle of the verb matsa — to find]”.
Verse 10 — “ Seize [laqach — to seize or to grab] my instruction, rather than silver [a matter of priorities]; And learning doctrine rather than choice gold.”
Verse 11 — “For wisdom is better than precious gems; And all desirable things cannot be compared with her [doctrine].”
The results of doctrine
Verse 12 — “I wisdom have a lifestyle [once you begin to apply doctrine (thinking doctrine. Once there is understanding then there is thinking) that develops a lifestyle] of prudence [amarmar, the ability to regulate and discipline one’s self to the exercise of reason and common sense. Reason is learning the principles and common sense is the application of it]. I find [or discover] knowledge and discernment [knowledge is understanding of doctrine; discernment is thinking or application of doctrine].”
Verse 13 — “To respect the Lord is to hate evil: I [doctrine] hate arrogance and pride, and perverted speech.”
Verse 14 — “Counsel and sound judgement belong to me [Note: You are not counselled by someone on the outside; you learn doctrine and a part of the application is to self. We apply doctrine toward God, toward people and toward self]: I have understanding and power [understanding is the noun binah, metabolised doctrine. Power — giborah, (strong and intrepid of soul) means application of doctrine].”
Verse 15 — “By me [Bible doctrine and the laws of divine establishment] kings rule [ruling is an application], And rulers make just laws [Application of establishment principles].”
Verse 16 — “By me princes govern, And all honourable judges of the land.”
Verse 17 — “I [doctrine] love those who love me [for doctrine to love you, learning it and understanding it isn’t enough; it is understanding it and thinking doctrine or learning and applying doctrine. You begin to love doctrine, not by learning it, but by applying it. Love is an application of knowledge.]; And those who diligently seek me [the piel participle of shachar. The piel is the intensive stem and it means concentration. You learn by concentration but you also apply doctrine through concentration.] will find me.”
Verse 18 — “With me are riches and honour [escrow blessings for time]; Enduring wealth and prosperity [escrow blessings for the eternal state].”
Verse 19 — “My fruit [production] is better than pure and fine gold; And my profit better than the choicest silver.”
Verse 20 — “I walk in the way of righteousness, along the path of virtue:”
Verse 21 — “To give an inheritance [the hiphil infinitive construct from the verb nachal, to cause to inherit] to those who love me [doctrine], And I will make their treasuries full.”
The dynamics of metabolised doctrine
Verse 22 — “The Lord possessed me [doctrine] at the beginning of his work, Before his deeds of old [in other words, doctrine was in the mind of God before the creation of the universe]”
Verse 23 — “From eternity past I was established [the piel perfect of the verb nasak — I was poured in a mould. Established categorically would be a better translation. God thinks categorically! Absolute truth lends itself to categorical thinking; relative truth does not.] from the foundation of the earth.”
Verse 24 — “When there were no oceans, I [doctrine] was already formed; When as yet there were no springs abounding with water.”
Verse 25 — “Before the mountains were settled in place, Before the hills I [doctrine] was formed categorically:”
Verse 26 — “Before he made planet earth, or its fields, Or the sum total of the dust of the earth.”
Verse 27 — “When he established the heavens, I was there: When he marked out a horizon on the face of the deep:”
Verse 28 — “When he made the skies above: When he restrained the fountains of the deep:”
Verse 29 — “When he set the sea in its boundary, So that the water would not overflow his mandate: When he marked out the foundations of the earth:”
Verse 30 — “The I [Bible doctrine] was with him, as a designer of the work [creation]: Rejoicing always in his presence [Bible doctrine perceived, metabolised, applied is the true source of happiness in the devil’s world];
Verse 31 — “rejoicing in the world, his earth; And having my delight in the human race.”
Verse 32 — “Now therefore, human race, listen to me: Blessed [ashere — happiness] are those who guard my ways [the ways of doctrine].”
You have to start with understanding
Verse 33 — “Hear instruction [understanding doctrine] and become wise [thinking doctrine and/or application of doctrine], Do not neglect it.”
Verse 34 — “Blessed [happiness] is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates [the place of assembly worship], Waiting at my doors [when you really like it you wait for the doors to open].”
Verse 35 — “For he who finds me [doctrine] finds capacity for life [But remember: capacity for life is not just learning doctrine, it is application of doctrine], And obtains grace from the Lord.”
Verse 36 — “But he who misses me [Bible doctrine] injures himself: All who hate me [Bible doctrine] love the sin unto death.”