Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Just desserts

Proverbs 13:20-21 form a thematic chiasm:

A- Wise companions make wise (13:20a)
B- Foolish companions bring harm (13:20b)
B'- Sinners suffer evil/trouble (13:21a)
A'- Righteous receive good (13:21b)

By connecting wisdom and foolishness with, respectively, sin and righteousness, the poet helps the reader see that the former categories have a strong moral and ethical dimension.

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