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 =FOURTH INTRODUCTORY MASHAL DISCOURSE, III. 1-18. =

EXHORTATION TO LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS, AND SELF-SACRIFICING DEVOTION TO GOD, AS THE TRUE WISDOM.
The foregoing Mashal discourse seeks to guard youth against ruinous companionship ; this points out to them more particularly the relation toward God and man, which alone can make them truly happy, vers. 1-4. 1 My son, forget not my doctrine, And let thine heart keep my commandments ; 2 For length of days, and years of life, And peace, -will they add to thee. 3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee : Bind them about thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart, 4 And obtain favour and true prudence In the eyes of God and of men. The admonition takes a new departure, תּוֹרָתִ֣י and וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י refer to the following new discourse and laws of conduct. Here, in the midst of the discourse, we have יִצֹּ֥ר and not יִגְצֹּ֥ר ; the non-assimilated form is found only in the conclusion, e.g. ii. 11, v. 2. The plur. יוֹסִ֥יפוּ (ver. 2) for חּוֹטֵפְנָח (they will bring, add) refers to the doctrine and the precepts ; the synallage has its ground in this, that the fem. construction in Hebrew is not applicable in such a case ; the vulgar Arab, also has set aside the forms jaktubna, taktubna. “Extension of days” is continuance of duration, stretching itself out according to the promise, Ex. 20:12; and “years of life” (9:11) are years — namely, many of them — of a life which is life in the full sense of the word. חַיִּ֑ים has here the pregnant signification vita vitalis, βίος βιωτός (Fl.). שָׁל֗וֹם (R. של) is pure well-being, free from all that disturbs peace or satisfaction, internal and external contentment. Pro 3:3 With this verse the doctrine begins; אל (not לא) shows the 3a does not continue the promise of Pro 3:2. חסד (R. חם, stringere, afficere) is, according to the prevailing usage of the language, well-affectedness, it may be of God toward men, or of men toward God, or of men toward one another - a loving disposition, of the same meaning as the N.T. ἀγάπη (vid., e.g., Hos 6:6). אמת (from אמנת), continuance, a standing to one's promises, and not