The Book of Proverbs seems to be a collection of wisdom-bytes, organized in a desultory manner. This is an illusion. In its overall shape, Proverbs is a romantic comedy.
In the first nine chapters, Solomon describes two women who compete for his son's affection. Lady Wisdom urges simpletons to abandon their simplicity and warns them of the consequences if they refuse to listen (1:20–33). Lady Folly entices young men to dangerous liaisons. Lady Wisdom offers food, while Lady Folly plots to lead the prince to slaughter (7:22). Solomon tells his son to flee Lady Folly and embrace Lady Wisdom (5:1–23; 6:20–35; 7:6–27; 9:13–18). It's a classic rom-com setup: A young man chooses between two women, one seductively transgressive, the other the kind of girl you take home to meet Mom. At the same time, he decides whether to listen to Dad or pursue his own bliss.
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