在此我們又讀到，一個對孩子教導的重要。聖經建議在孩子犯錯時，可用棍子責打孩子，糾正錯誤；棍子可用有彈性的枝子，既可打痛孩子又不會受傷。孩子若不能聽從父母和上帝的話，就應該受到責罰；當孩子開始任性不肯服從時，父母的糾正可使他們的靈魂免下陰間（23：13~14）。

        學習依靠上帝和知道什麼是真理，如此尋求上帝智慧的人，可免於毀壞及下陰間（22：19，21），而在廿二章到廿四章介紹了許多智慧的話，我們可學習（22：17~24：22）。一個智慧的人，與官長一起吃飯時，他隨時都要留意自己言行的正確合宜，以及面對王所賜豐富的食物應有的態度，不要貪戀美食（22：29；23：1~3），但這警告所著重的應不在於貪圖美食，而是不要加入王所行邪惡的陰謀或貪戀王的錢財，錢財是虛無的，隨時都會沒有（23：4~5，詩141：4），錢財今日在你手中，明日就歸別人（23：5）。一個智慧的人，不要想富有，富有導致人貪婪，以致人們可以不斷的為錢工作，不休息，智慧的使徒保羅，警告那些貪戀錢財的人，貪財不只是陷在迷惑和私慾中，更能使人沈淪在敗壞和滅亡中（提前6：9~10）。

        接著再次警戒那些追尋智慧的人，不要羨慕或嫉妒作惡的人和他們的財富，因他們是沒有希望，並且死亡等著他們；也不要與罪人、愚蠢人、懶惰人、暴力份子、黨派份子為友，還有醉酒、貪食之人也要遠離他們，以免受影響而跟隨他們，這等人的生命終結，只是貧窮和死亡（23：6，9，17，20~21，24：1，19，30~34）。智慧的人也不要與極端改革份子為伍，因他們不敬畏上帝，也不怕地上的統治者，以致他們會遭到從上帝及從統治者來的災難（24：21~22）。智慧的人會樂意幫助走向毀滅道路的人回轉（24：11~12），引導他們走向希望生命之路，這路就是得著智慧知識和敬畏上帝的路，也唯有這條路上帝允許前途光明，永遠有指望（23：17~18，24：14）。

        尋求智慧的人要遠離貪婪；不可挪移古時的地界，也不可侵入孤兒的田地，因如此行是要被定罪的（23：10，22：28，申19：14）；上帝是辯護者也是救贖主（23：11，詩68：5），祂像是舊約中的贖回者，一個至近的親屬，可以保護家族中的產業、權利和榮譽，祂也像是一個報血仇的人，追殺那些殺了他族人的人（利25：25，民35：19，得4：4）。事實上，我們的主耶穌正是大能的救贖者，更重要的是，祂不只是保護我們屬地的所有物，祂更將我們從罪惡中救贖出來，使我們的靈魂免於死亡，並且給我們屬天的生命，是無人能奪走的。

        在箴言及全聖經中，多有記載智慧的路及生命，教導人尋得，但絕不包括酗酒一項（20：1，21：17，23：20~21，賽5：11~12，弗5：18），一個真想尋得智慧的人，要遠離酗酒（23：29~35）；酒能奴役人，使人變得知覺遲鈍、愚蠢、好爭吵、悲慘、有慾望而無理性，同時也毀壞人的健康（身體是上帝所造的，也是聖靈的居所）；結果對身體、心理、經濟、社交都受到損害。任何一種能使人醉的飲料，都被形容成毒蛇口中的毒液，一個正常的人，誰自願去喝毒葯呢？

        謝謝主，您應許讓跟從您的人，繼承天上屬靈的生命，讓我們保有一個永生的眼光，去憐憫犯罪的人而不是去羨慕作惡的罪人。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        Once again we read of the importance of giving discipline to children. The Bible advises the use of a "rod" to punish and correct the child who has erred. The rod was a flexible twig which would sting but not cause any serious harm. Children must learn that disobedience to their parents and to God will lead to punishment. By correcting a child when he first starts to wilfully and knowingly disobey, the parents can "deliver his soul from hell" (23:13-14).

        These continuing "words of the wise" (22:17-24:22) are so that the student of wisdom might be delivered from destruction and hell by learning to trust in God and by knowing and speaking the truth, thus being wise (22:19, 21). In order to be wise, the person who gains the favour of sitting down to eat with a ruler must be cautious at all times to do and say the right things, as well as have the right attitude toward the king and his delicacies or luxuries (22:29 — 23:1-3). It is most likely that the warning is not concerning eating too much of the king's food, but rather participating in his evil schemes or desiring his riches, which the following two verses explain as being the "deceptive food" (23:4-5; Ps. 141:4). One day it is here and next day it is gone (23:5). The desire to be rich, which usually springs from greed, can cause a person to overwork. The wise man, like the Apostle Paul, warns against such a desire, since it not only causes stress but can cause one to fall into sin and be destroyed (1 Tim. 6:9-10).

        The repeated warning for the student is to not be envious or jealous of an evildoer, nor of his riches, for they have no hope, and death awaits them. The student is also warned to not become friends with sinners, fools, sluggards, and riotous party-mongers, such as drunkards and gluttons who live excessively, lest he be influenced to be like them. Such a person's life will end in poverty and death (23:6, 9, 17, 20-21; 24:1, 19, 30-34). He must also not join company with the greedy revolutionists ("those given to change") who do not fear the Lord nor the king, lest he share in the calamity that these two powers (the Lord and the king) can bring upon such sowers of discord (24:21-22). The wise person will rather help to deliver those on the path of destruction (24:11-12) and lead them along with him in the way of hope and life, which is the way of the knowledge of wisdom and the fear of the Lord. This way alone promises a happy future, even unto eternity (23:17-18; 24:14).

        Once again the student is warned against being greedy. He is to respect the property rights of the defenceless, and he is not to oppress the fatherless by moving the boundary stones of their inherited land so that he might have more land. Such a practice was strongly condemned (23:10; 22:28; Deut. 19:14). The Lord is the Defender and the mighty Redeemer of the needy (23:11; Ps. 68:5). He is like the kinsman redeemer or blood avenger in the Old Testament — a close relative who protected the property, rights, and honour of the family, as well as avenged the murder of his relative (Lev. 25:25; Num. 35:19; Ruth 4:4). Truly, our Lord Jesus is our Mighty Redeemer. More importantly than protecting our earthly possessions, He redeemed our never-dying souls from the hands of the evil one and gave us a heavenly inheritance of which no one can rob us.

        The way of wisdom and life that is portrayed in the Book of Proverbs, as well as in the entire Bible, does not include the drinking of intoxicating beverages (20:1; 21:17; 23:20-21; Isa. 5:11-12; Eph. 5:18). With descriptive language, the student of wisdom is strongly warned of the evils of drinking (23:29-35). It enslaves a person and makes him become insensitive, foolish, contentious, sorrowful, lustful, and irrational, as well as destroying his health (the body which was created by God to be the temple of the Holy Spirit). Thus it causes detrimental effects physically, psychologically, economically, and socially. The sparkling wine, or any other alcoholic drink, is described as being like the poison of a most venomous snake. Who in his right mind would voluntarily drink poison?

        Thank You, Lord, for the heavenly inheritance You've promised us as we follow Your ways. May we keep an eternal perspective which results in a compassion rather than an envy toward sinners.