While reading this month’s Magnificat, the Catholic magazine of daily devotionals, I
came across this wonderful little poem that is in Proverbs. Now as I’m slowly reading my way through the
Old Testament in sequence, I have not gotten up to Proverbs yet. I’m not aware of how its organized or its
significance. I've only been exposed to
bits of readings quoted, read in church, or placed in devotionals. I was surprised that this was in the form of a
poem.
Wisdom has built her
house,
She has set up her
seven columns;
She has dressed her
meat, mixed her wine,
Yes, she has spread her
table.
She has sent out her
maidens; she calls
From the heights out
over the city:
“Let whoever is simple
turn in here;
To him who lacks
understanding, I say,
Come, eat of my food,
And drink of my wine
that I have mixed!
Forsake foolishness
that you may live,
Advance in the way of
understanding.”
-Proverbs 9:1-6
The
line “She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,” reminds me of my mother with
her meats that go into her Sunday Italian gravy.
I believe “mixing of wine” refers to the ancient practice of adding
water to wine to adjust the taste. At
least they did that in the Roman world, so I’d assume they did it in ancient
Israel as well.
The
gist of the verse is with the line “Let whoever is simple turn in here.” Wisdom rests in simplicity, so “forsake”
sophisticated foolishness.
And
I absolutely love the lines, “Come, eat of my food,/And drink of my wine.” Isn't that a phrase used in a song? Probably. Of course it
echoes Christ, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood” from John 6:54.
