CHAPTER III.
THE FIRST COLLECTION AND ITS APPENDICES.
Upon entering what Dante in the De Monarchiâ so well
calls 'the forest' of the canonical proverbs, we are soon struck
by differences of age and growth. The central portion of the
book, and in some respects the most interesting, is comprised
in x. 1-xxii. 16[*not sure if this should be '1-xxii'*]. To this, which is indeed the original Book
of Proverbs, the first nine chapters were intended to serve as
the introduction. It is the oldest Hebrew proverbial anthology
extant. Probably from its compiler it received the name
'Proverbs of Solomon,' and from this title has sprung the
tradition accepted by so many subsequent ages and indeed
by the editor of the whole book (Prov. i. 1) of Solomon's
authorship of the Proverbs. The title however cannot be
historically correct. Those maxims in this anthology which
refer to the true God under the name Jehovah (Yahvè) are
too monotheistic and inculcate too pure a morality to be the
work of the Solomon of the Book of Kings. That great
despot's 'wisdom,' so far as we can judge both from his character
and from the traditional notices, cannot have had a
distinctively religious character. Listen to these proverbs,—
Better a little with the fear of Jehovah
than great treasure and turmoil therewith (xv. 16).
The horse is prepared against the day of battle,
but victory is Jehovah's (xxi. 31).
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit;
he with whom Jehovah is wroth falleth therein (xxii. 14).
A wise son (loveth) his father's correction,
but a scorner heareth not rebuke (xiii. 1),—
and for a commentary read 1 Kings iv. 26, xi. 1, 4, 14-40, xii. 14, 15. Nor is the moral tone of the 'Solomonic' proverbs
