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Literary structure (chiasmus, chiasm) of Book of Proverbs

Chiasmus and Concentric Structure of divided by 5


5-1

1 Prologue (1:1-7)
  2 Invitation of wisdom (1:8-33)
    3 Value of Wisdom (2:1-22)
      4 Blessing of wisdom (3:1-10)
    5 Gift of wisdom (3:11-20)
  6 Exhortation of wisdom (3:21-35)
7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
Former halfRelationLatter half
1 Prologue (1:1-7)
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; (1:7)
The beginning of knowledge7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
4:7 The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; at the cost of all you have, get understanding. (4:7)
2 Invitation of wisdom (1:8-33)
1:15 My son, walk not in the way with them, hold back your foot from their path! (1:15)
Avoid the way of wicked6 Exhortation of wisdom (3:21-35)
3:31 Envy not the lawless man and choose none of his ways: (3:31)
3 Value of Wisdom (2:1-22)
2:4 If you seek her like silver, and like hidden treasures search her out: (2:4)
Better than silver5 Gift of wisdom (3:11-20)
3:14 For her profit is better than profit in silver, and better than gold is her revenue; (3:14)

5-1-1

1 Prologue (1:1-7)
  2 Invitation of wisdom (1:8-33)
  3 Value of Wisdom (2:1-22)
4 Blessing of wisdom (3:1-10)
Former halfRelationLatter half
1 Prologue (1:1-7)
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; (1:7)
Fear of the LORD4 Blessing of wisdom (3:1-10)
3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD and turn away from evil; (3:7)
2 Invitation of wisdom (1:8-33)
1:15 My son, walk not in the way with them, hold back your foot from their path! (1:15)
Avoid the way of wicked3 Value of Wisdom (2:1-22)
2:12 Saving you from the way of evil men, from men of perverse speech, (2:12)

5-1-2

4 Blessing of wisdom (3:1-10)
  5 Gift of wisdom (3:11-20)
  6 Exhortation of wisdom (3:21-35)
7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
Former halfRelationLatter half
4 Blessing of wisdom (3:1-10)
3:2 For many days, and years of life, and peace, will they bring you. (3:2)
Gaining a life7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
4:4 Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, that you may live! (4:4)
5 Gift of wisdom (3:11-20)
3:13 Happy the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding!(3:13)
Happiness / Blessings6 Exhortation of wisdom (3:21-35)
3:33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses; (3:33)

5-2

7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
  8 The right way (4:10-19)
    9 Warning against evil (4:20-27)
      10 Warning against others (5:1-6)
    11 Warning against adultery (5:7-23)
  12 Warning against laziness (6:1-19)
13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
Former halfRelationLatter half
7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
4:6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will safeguard you; (4:6)
The wisdom preserves you13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
6:22When you lie down she will watch over you, and when you wake, she will share your concerns; wherever you turn, she will guide you. (6:22)
8 The right way (4:10-19)
4:15 Shun it, cross it not, turn aside from it, and pass on. (4:15)
Escape12 Warning against laziness (6:1-19)
6:5 Free yourself as a gazelle from the snare, or as a bird from the hand of the fowler. (6:5)
9 Warning against evil (4:20-27)
4:26 Survey the path for your feet, and let all your ways be sure. (4:26)
Survey the path11 Warning against adultery (5:7-23)
5:21 For each man's ways are plain to the LORD'S sight; all their paths he surveys;(5:21)

5-2-1

7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
  8 The right way (4:10-19)
  9 Warning against evil (4:20-27)
10 Warning against others (5:1-6)
Former halfRelationLatter half
7 Gain wisdom (4:1-9)
see 1-1-1
see 1-1-110 Warning against others (5:1-6)
see 1-1-1
8 The right way (4:10-19)
see 1-1-1
see 1-1-19 Warning against evil (4:20-27)
see 1-1-1

5-2-2

10 Warning against others (5:1-6)
  11 Warning against adultery (5:7-23)
  12 Warning against laziness (6:1-19)
13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
Former halfRelationLatter half
10 Warning against others (5:1-6)
5:3 The lips of an adulteress drip with honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; (5:3)
Warning against adultery13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
6:24 To keep you from your neighbor's wife, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. (6:24)
11 Warning against adultery (5:7-23)
5:22 By his own iniquities the wicked man will be caught, in the meshes of his own sin he will be held fast; (5:22)
Snare12 Warning against laziness (6:1-19)
6:2 You have been snared by the utterance of your lips, caught by the words of your mouth; (6:2)

5-3

13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
  14 Woman of adultery (7:1-23)
    15 Warning against Woman of adultery (7:24-27)
      16 Love for wisdom (8:1-31)
    17 Listen to me (8:32-36)
  18 Table of wisdom (9:1-18)
19 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
Former halfRelationLatter half
13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
see 1-1
see 1-119 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
see 1-1
14 Woman of adultery (7:1-23)
see 1-1
see 1-118 Table of wisdom (9:1-18)
see 1-1
15 Warning against Woman of adultery (7:24-27)
see 1-1
see 1-117 Listen to me (8:32-36)
see 1-1

5-3-1

13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
  14 Woman of adultery (7:1-23)
  15 Warning against Woman of adultery (7:24-27)
16 Love for wisdom (8:1-31)
Former halfRelationLatter half
13 Warning against adultery (6:20-35)
6:22When you lie down she will watch over you, and when you wake, she will share your concerns; wherever you turn, she will guide you. (6:22)
Calling of wisdom16 Love for wisdom (8:1-31)
8:1 Does not Wisdom call, and Understanding raise her voice?(8:1)
14 Woman of adultery (7:1-23)
7:22 He follows her stupidly, like an ox that is led to slaughter; Like a stag that minces toward the net, (7:22)
Adultery15 Warning against Woman of adultery (7:24-27)
7:26 For many are those she has struck down dead, numerous, those she has slain. (7:26)

5-3-2

16 Love for wisdom (8:1-31)
  17 Listen to me (8:32-36)
  18 Table of wisdom (9:1-18)
19 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
Former halfRelationLatter half
16 Love for wisdom (8:1-31)
8:8 Sincere are all the words of my mouth, no one of them is wily or crooked; (8:8)
Righteous mouth19 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
10:11 A fountain of life is the mouth of the just, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. (10:11)
17 Listen to me (8:32-36)
8:36 But he who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death. (8:36)
Death18 Table of wisdom (9:1-18)
9:18 Little he knows that the shades are there, that in the depths of the nether world are her guests!(9:18)

5-4

19 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
  20 Table of kings (22:17-23:11)
    21 Fair lips (23:12-18)
      22 Warning against alcohol (23:19-21)
    23 To respect parents (23:22-25)
  24 Sins of fool (23:26-24:12)
25 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
Former halfRelationLatter half
19 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
10:7 The memory of the just will be blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. (10:7)
The just and the wicked25 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
24:16 For the just man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble to ruin.(24:16)
20 Table of kings (22:17-23:11)
23:9 Speak not for the fool's hearing; he will despise the wisdom of your words. (23:9)
Fool24 Sins of fool (23:26-24:12)
24:7 For a fool, to be silent is wisdom; not to open his mouth at the gate.(24:7)
21 Fair lips (23:12-18)
23:16 my inmost being will exult, when your lips speak what is right (23:16)
Exult23 To respect parents (23:22-25)
23:24 The father of a just man will exult with glee (23:24)

5-4-1

19 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
  20 Table of kings (22:17-23:11)
  21 Fair lips (23:12-18)
22 Warning against alcohol (23:19-21)
Former halfRelationLatter half
19 Solomon's proverbs (10:1-22:16)
10:1 The Proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes his father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.(10:1)
Wisdom of children22 Warning against alcohol (23:19-21)
23:19 Hear, my son, and be wise (23:19)
20 Table of kings (22:17-23:11)
22:18 For it will be well if you keep them in your bosom, if they all are ready on your lips. (22:18)
Exult21 Fair lips (23:12-18)
23:16 And my inmost being will exult, when your lips speak what is right. (23:16)

5-4-2

22 Warning against alcohol (23:19-21)
  23 To respect parents (23:22-25)
  24 Sins of fool (23:26-24:12)
25 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
Former halfRelationLatter half
22 Warning against alcohol (23:19-21)
see 1-1-2
see 1-1-225 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
see 1-1-2
23 To respect parents (23:22-25)
see 1-1-2
see 1-1-224 Sins of fool (23:26-24:12)
see 1-1-2

5-5

25 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
  26 Fear to God (24:21-22)
    27 Other words of wise man (24:23-34)
      28 Solomon's proverbs (25:1-29:27)
    29 Sayings of Agur (30:1-33)
  30 The teaching of king Lemel's mother (31:1-9)
31 Ode to a capable woman (31:10-31)
Former halfRelationLatter half
25 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
24:14 Such, you must know, is wisdom to your soul. If you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will not be cut off. (24:14)
Future31 Ode to a capable woman (31:10-31)
31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come.(31:25)
26 Fear to God (24:21-22)
24:21 My son, fear the LORD and the king; (24:21)
Kings30 The teaching of king Lemel's mother (31:1-9)
31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, not for kings to drink wine; strong drink is not for princes! (31:4)
27 Other words of wise man (24:23-34)
24:24 He who says to the wicked man, "You are just"-- men will curse him, people will denounce him; (24:24)
Cursed29 Sayings of Agur (30:1-33)
30:10 Slander not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you have to pay the penalty. (30:10)

5-5-1

25 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
  26 Fear to God (24:21-22)
  27 Other words of wise man (24:23-34)
28 Solomon's proverbs (25:1-29:27)
Former halfRelationLatter half
25 Disaster of evildoer (24:13-20)
24:13 If you eat honey, my son, because it is good, if virgin honey is sweet to your taste; (24:13)
Honey28 Solomon's proverbs (25:1-29:27)
25:16 If you find honey, eat only what you need, lest you become glutted with it and vomit it up. (25:16)
26 Fear to God (24:21-22)
24:22 For suddenly arises the destruction they send, and the ruin from either one, who can measure? (24:22)
Punishment27 Other words of wise man (24:23-34)
24:29 Say not, "As he did to me, so will I do to him; I will repay the man according to his deeds."(24:29)

5-5-2

28 Solomon's proverbs (25:1-29:27)
  29 Sayings of Agur (30:1-33)
  30 The teaching of king Lemel's mother (31:1-9)
31 Ode to a capable woman (31:10-31)
Former halfRelationLatter half
28 Solomon's proverbs (25:1-29:27)
29:18 Without prophecy the people become demoralized; but happy is he who keeps the law. (29:18)
Happy people31 Ode to a capable woman (31:10-31)
31:28 Her children rise up and praise her; her husband, too, extols her: (31:28)
29 Sayings of Agur (30:1-33)
30:14 There is a group whose incisors are swords, whose teeth are knives, Devouring the needy from the earth, and the poor from among men. (30:14)
Torturing poor person / helping poor person30 The teaching of king Lemel's mother (31:1-9)
31:9 Open your mouth, decree what is just, defend the needy and the poor! (31:9)

Citations of the Bible are from New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible.

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Literary Structure of the Bible by Hajime Murai is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Caution: The copyright of the cited Bible verses belongs to each translator and publisher.

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