The proverbs of a strange woman, loved and condemned by Solomon, king of Israel, and the wisdom tradition credited to him:
Prologue
For learning about wisdom and instruction,
for understanding words of insight,
for gaining instruction in wise dealing,
righteousness, justice, and equity;
to teach the poor, ignored, and shamed;
to acknowledge those hurt by the king’s advice.
Let the wise also hear and gain in learning,
to see the limitations of their understanding.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
A Sister’s Advice
Listen, beloved, to a sister’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight;
for I give you good precepts:
do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a girl with my sister,
not yet ashamed or insecure,
she taught me, and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away
from the words of my mouth.
Wisdom will place on your feet steady shoes,
she will bestow on you surefooted boots.”
The Sayings of the Wise
The wise stand firm in their ways
when the powerful try to manipulate and
and societal expectations to confuse.
The world will focus on your appearances,
by your weight and color it will judge you.
But look to the many birds of God’s creation –
each one a different size and color,
each one beautiful and beloved by God.
Beware the man who hungers for your body;
do not spare his feelings or embarrassment.
Better to hurt his pride
than allow him to hurt your dignity and your body.
Desire without knowledge is not good,
and one who rushes into sex may awaken
beside someone she does not know.
The wise listen to their bodies to discern their needs,
but the foolish think all bodies are the same.
When self-hatred begins to settle in your bones,
fight back with the truth;
when you begin to doubt your worth,
say to your reflection, “I am enough.”
Like a dishonest scale
is a person who measures others’ worth by their past;
a fool will try to claim your dignity,
but the righteous will never question your worth.
Inspired by the book of Proverbs
Neglected Word 