PROVERBS. The Hebrews give the Name of Proverbs, Parables, or Similitudes, to moral Sentences, Maxims, Comparisons, or Enigma’s, express’d in a Stile that is Poetical, figurative, close and sententious. The Hebrews call this Kind of Proverbs Mishle. Solomon says, That in his Time, Maxims of this Sort, were the chief Study of the Learned: A wise Man will endeavour (says he) to understand a Proverb, and the Interpretation; Prov. i. 6. Ecclus. xxxix. 1, 2, 3.the Words of the Wise, and their dark Sayings. And Jesus the Son of Sirach says, He will keep the Sayings of the renowned Men; and where subtil Parables are, he will be there also: He will seek out the Secrets of grave Sentences, and be conversant in dark Parables. The Queen of Sheba came from the utmost Parts of the Earth to see Solomon, to prove him, and to propose dark Riddles to him; Tentare eum in ænigmatibus. Hiram King of Tyre (they say) kept a Correspondence, by Letters, with Solomon, and proposed enigmatical Questions to him, and explain’d those that were proposed to him by Solomon. The ancient Sages of Greece had also this kind of Exercise in much Esteem. Cleobulus composed no less than three thousand Songs and Diogen. Laert. in Cleobul. Eccles. xii. 9.mysterious Sayings; and Cleobulina his Daughter writ enigmatical Verses.
The Proverbs of Solomon, are, without doubt, the most valuable Part of his Works: He tells us himself, they were the Fruits of his most profound Meditations, and of his most excellent Wisdom: Because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the People Knowledge; yea, he gave good Heed, and sought out and set in Order many Proverbs. In this Book we find Rules for the Conduct of all Conditions of Life; for Kings, Courtiers, Men engaged in the Affairs of the World; for Masters, Servants, Fathers, Mothers, Children. Some have doubted Rab. & Grot. in Prov. 2 Kings xviii. 18.whether Solomon alone was the Author of this Book: Grotius thinks this Prince took Care to have a Compilation made, for his own Use, of whatever was then excellent in Points of Morality, from all the ancient Writers of his own Nation; That under Hezekiah this Collection was enlarged, by adding whatever of this Nature had been written since Solomon; ‘Twas Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah (says he) that compleated this Collection. But these Conjectures not being supported by any Proof, ought not to be of such Weight with us, as to make us depart from the Opinions of the Fathers and Interpreters, who ascribe this whole Book to Solomon.
גם אלה לחכמיםTrue it is, we may there observe some Difference of Style and Method: For Example; the nine first Chapters, which have for their Title The Proverbs of Solomon, are written as a continued Discourse, and may be consider’d as a Preface to the whole Book; and to Chap. x. where we see the same Title again, the Style changes to short Sentences, which have little Connexion with one another, and which, generally, contain a kind of Antitheses. This goes on to Ver. 17. of Chap. xxii. Here we find a new Style to prevail, that approaches nearer to that of the nine first Chapters, and supports it self to Chap. xxiv. Ver. 23. where there is a new Title in these Words, Hæc quoque Sapientibus. This is still address’d To the Wise; or, Here are some farther Sayings of the Wise. Their Style is short and sententious. At the beginning of Chap. xxv. we read, These are also Proverbs of Solomon, which the Men of Hezekiah King of Judah copied out. And, doubtless, it was upon this Authority that Grotius has advanced, that this Collection was made by Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah, famous Men under the Reign of Hezekiah. This Collection goes on as far as Chap. xxx. 1. where we read thus; The Words of Agur the Son of Jakeh. Lastly, The Title of the xxxi. and last Chapter, is this; The Words of King Lemuel.
From all which, it seems certain, that the Book of Proverbs, in the State we find it at this Day, is a Collection of Part of the Proverbs of Solomon, compiled by several Hands. Wherefore we cannot conclude from hence, that this is not the Work of Solomon. This Prince being inspired of the Holy Ghost, 1 Kings iv. 32.had composed no less than three-thousand Proverbs. Several Persons might have made Collections of them; Hezekiah, among others, as mention’d in Chap. xxv. Agur, Isaiah, Esdras might have done the same. From these several Collections the Work was composed, that we have now in our Hands. Nothing is more reasonable to be admitted than this Supposition. It is no-where here said, that Solomon himself had made a Collection of Proverbs and Sentences. The Title, Solomon’s Proverbs, rather shews the Author, than the Compiler. The Rabbins generally Vid. Zemach David, & Seder Olam. Rabba, c. 15.maintain, That King Hezekiah, observing the Abuse that the People made of several of the Works of Solomon, chiefly of those which contained the Virtues of Plants, and Secrets of Natural Philosophy, he suppressed several of these Works, and only preserved those that are handed down to us.
No Doubt is made of the Canonicalness of The Book of Proverbs. We only know Concil. C. P. iv. Collat. 4. Art. 63.Theodorus Mopsuestensis among the Antients, and among the Moderns the Author of a Letter inserted among the Sentiments of some Divines of Holland, who have raised any Scruple about this Matter, and who have pretended that Solomon composed this Work by meer human Industry. The Greek Version of this Book is often very different from the Hebrew, and adds a great many Verses that are not found in the Original. The Roman Edition of the Greek transposes whole Chapters. For Example: After Chap. xxiv. ver. 22. it inserts the fourteen first Verses of Ch. xxx. Then it returns to Ver. 23. and the rest of Chap. xxiv. After which, it puts Ver. 15. and the rest of Ch. xxx. Then Ch. xxxi. and, lastly, Ch. xxv. and those that follow, as far as Chap. xxix. After which, is Chap. xxxi. Ver. 10. and the rest, which conclude the Book. I don’t mention the lesser Transpositions which may be seen in the Body of the Book; nor is it known from whence these Irregularities have proceeded. In the ancient Latin Editions we see several Verses added, which have been left out from the Time of St. Jerom: Yet there still remain some, which have been mark’d and suppress’d in the first Tome of the new Edition of St. Jerom.