Proverbs chapter 14

vs 1

The value of a house is obvious... I'm unsure as to the reason a woman is pictured. Did women build houses? Does it mean more the building of a home, rather than a house, if you know what I mean?

vs 2

After all, why walk uprightly if you don't care what God thinks? This highlights why there are people who don't believe in God but still live upright lives - because they feel some compulsion to - whether it be another god, or they have made humanity or their family or some weird moral system their god. That just shows that they are lacking in wisdom about God, rather than a desire to be wicked.

vs 3

Mostly because he keeps them shut, I reckon.

vs 4

If you have an ox to plough your fields, I guess you can do better work. I wonder if this parable is saying, "Work smarter, use technology," even if that technology is a cow.

vs 5

Again, surely a tautology. But I guess it bears saying, so that you know. You have to learn everything a first time, after all.

vs 6

That someone might actually seek knowledge and not find it, simply because they are a mocker, is quite eye-opening.

vs 7

Wisdom is such an important thing to strive for, that you shouldn't even bother hanging around with foolish people. Is that the value we place on understanding God's wisdom?

vs 8

So while wise people think about what they do, fools it seem deceive even themselves.

vs 9

Damn, it's hard to apologise sometimes. Especially when you don't think you've done something wrong, or because you're a stubborn ass like me. But it is so necessary.

vs 10

There is something fundamentally hidden about ourselves from others. I don't know if that will change in eternity. But it is true that we understand ourselves to a deep extent that is not shared with others. This doesn't mean people can't know us well - or perhaps even know things about ourselves we don't. It just means there isn't a complete overlap.

vs 11

Even if you do live in a tent, better it flourishes than is destroyed. There might even be a slight hearkening back to Abraham here, who never got to settle down, but following God and still became a rich man.