Chapter 19

2021 - I have to be careful about projecting Peterson onto the Bible, rather than the Bible onto Peterson.  But here is a verse where they both seem to be saying the same thing:

1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. [Pro 19:1 ESV]

Is this about speaking up, getting yourself fired for speaking up, and then losing your home, your car, etc being better than continuing in a situation that compromises you and requires you to say things you don't believe and also to pretend that you do believe them in order to keep your job?  Is Solomon saying only a fool would do these things?  I mean, it surely seems like Solomon said it first, and Peterson picked it up and ran with it, applying it to our culture today.  The most focused statement of it from Peterson was in the video I sent Kris.  It says that working in a place that "weakens" you batters your very soul.  It shouldn't be tolerated.  It surely seems like they are saying the same thing.

2024 - That word translated crooked here in ESV can also be translated as perverse and froward.  The BLB definition adds twisted and distorted.  These words do not seem to me to imply that "crooked in speech" is something you do to keep your job.  These words seem more about intentionally distorting the truth for no real reason than to steer others toward the wrong conclusions.  No personal gain involved, just perverse, inexplicable misleading.  This makes better sense in that I don't think a person who nods yes when he means no under direct questioning is a fool.  Depends on the question of course, but mostly I wouldn't think it is foolish.  But perverseness...That is foolish.

These continue as 18 was.  There are no contrasts or comparisons, more like a principle is stated and then a corollary, a result - a possible result, or one of many possible results - or an intensification of the original statement.  For instance:

3 When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD. [Pro 19:3 ESV]

I noticed this one the second time:

27 Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. [Pro 19:27 ESV]  Makes me think of those who just "turn off" when they recognize that you're basing your position on the Bible.