Proverbs 10:1-32

Here we reach the first collection of what were supposed to be Solomon's proverbs. Most of them consist of two lines parallel to each other. The parallelism is one of contrast, or agreement, or explanation, or of different persons and objects. It is impossible to trace any principle underlying the order in which the proverbs stand. Several of them are more or less exactly repeated in Proverbs 25-29.

The main subject, not treated continuously, but recurred to again and again, is the blessing which attends goodness and diligence, the penalty which follows sin and sloth.