good night

May. 25th, 2008 11:24 pm
watertank: (Default)
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that obtaineth understanding.

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdest her fast.
Proverbs. 3.13-18.


* cf For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes, 1:18.

Is this difference due to translation, or does it indicate a divergence in thinking between a king and a prophet?

good night

Mar. 23rd, 2007 11:50 pm
watertank: (Default)
Wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places;

She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:

'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Proverbs, 1:20-22


cf. Ecclesiastes.
watertank: (Michelangelo: David)
What if the Serpent was just plain stupid, not craftier or subtle, as Gen. 3.1 describes it? Would the result be any different? The more I think about it, the more I have doubts about the value of assigning evil intent to this particular beast's action. Mostly, because it limits our ability to see alternative ways to damage a system. It's also been traditionally used to stigmatizes science for being "more craftier than all the beast of the field which the Lord God had made."
On the other hand, had the Serpent been stupid the Woman probably would not listen to his arguments. Was her choice of "a tree to be desired to make one wise" the result of confusion between knowledge and wisdom?

Putting moral issues aside for a moment, all we can say that for whatever reason long-term consequences of one's action were not considered properly, even when they were stated explicitly by The Lord God. What was not stated explicitly, though, and maybe at the time The Lord God didn't even know how it all was going to play out, was the timing and the specifics of the "thou shalt surely die"( Gen. 2.17) That's what the Serpent either exploited or blundered into because of his hubris or stupidity.

What would be one's strategy when under similar circumstance one is put in the position of the Woman, or, as a matter of fact, of The Lord God?

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