Commentaire de citation sur Les Proverbes 24:26

Now that his three companions have completed their respective theses on the question of the well-being of the wicked, Job comes forward and in this speech presents a general response to all they had said. In their submissions, they had fitted their arrows to the bowstring (Psalms 11:2) with him Job himself as the target, for in their eyes, he was a thoroughly wicked person. They saw the answer to the question of the prosperity of the wicked in the calamities that had befallen him, namely, that they [the wicked] have no future to look forward to (Proverbs 24:20); that just as Job’s prosperity had not endured, neither does that of any evil-doer. Answering them directly (Proverbs 24:26), Job points out that the question he had posed was a general one, concerning the whole of mankind, viz. why are there are so many prosperous evildoers amongst us? (Ch.21:4-6). But regarding this, their answers had got them nowhere (Nehemiah 4:1).

Solomon taught us here about the advantage enjoyed by the wise man whose words are so pleasant to his listeners, everybody being anxious to listen to them. His words provide the answers to all the questions his listeners have either asked or have been meaning to ask. Solomon did not mean that such a wise man deserves to be kissed on his lips; after all what would his listeners learn from kissing him? Besides, if that had been Solomon’s meaning he should have written שפתים יושק, “the lips have been kissed,” or “the lips ought to be kissed.’” The meaning of the words is that the lips of the listeners “listen” to his words and feel as close to him as if they were kissing his lips. The listeners hang on every word such a wise man utters. His words are well received and welcome. This is the plain meaning of the verse we quoted.