“To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:4).

The proverbs of Solomon are designed to give subtilty to the simple. Subtilty is a combination of prudence and knowledge, resulting in a discernment that enables a person to judge critically what is correct and proper, united with caution.

The word discretion speaks of sagacity, which is “quickness or acuteness of discernment or penetration; readiness of apprehension; the faculty of readily discerning and distinguishing ideas, and of separating truth from falsehood” (Webster’s Dictionary).

The Book of Proverbs, then, will help a young person to grasp a situation quickly, to evaluate accurately what is really happening, and to be able to see past the fog of surface problems to root causes.

[archive]