by furaha nchimbi | 27 December 2023 08:46 pm12
Let us examine the passage:
“Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.”
(Proverbs 25:12, ESV)
In this verse, the word translated in some Swahili Bibles as “kipuli” refers to an earring or ornament worn on the ear. It’s a metaphor a poetic image used by Solomon to describe how precious it is to receive wise correction when the heart is willing to listen.
Though the term kipuli appears only once in Swahili translations of the Bible, the idea of valuable adornment appears throughout Scripture. Here, Solomon is not talking about literal jewelry, but about the spiritual beauty of someone who listens to wisdom and correction. A person who accepts rebuke from the wise is being adorned, spiritually, like someone wearing fine gold.
In biblical symbolism, gold represents purity, value, and divine wisdom. Gold was used in the furnishings of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25–27) and in Solomon’s Temple, symbolizing that which is holy and set apart. So, a person who accepts godly correction is compared to something sacred and valuable.
The listening ear in Proverbs 25:12 represents a humble heart a heart that desires growth, understanding, and truth, even when it comes in the form of rebuke. Throughout Scripture, listening is associated with obedience, learning, and fear of the Lord:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
(Proverbs 1:7, ESV)
“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.”
(Proverbs 1:5, ESV)
A listening ear is rare in a proud world, yet it is prized by God. Listening to correction is portrayed here as an adornment, suggesting that true beauty is internal and spiritual, not external and material.
This idea resonates strongly with 1 Peter 3:3–4 (ESV):
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”
The apostle Peter is not condemning outward adornment itself but is contrasting it with something far more important a gentle and quiet spirit. This imperishable beauty is what truly pleases God. It is not destroyed with age, trends, or time, because it flows from the work of the Holy Spirit.
Likewise, 1 Timothy 2:9–10 speaks to this spiritual emphasis:
“…women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,
but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.”
Both Paul and Peter affirm that inner holiness and receptiveness to God’s truth are more precious than any outward display.
To adorn our ears with “gold” in the spiritual sense means to tune them to the voice of divine wisdom God’s Word. Solomon stresses this in Proverbs 2:1–5 (ESV):
“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”
The fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. And wisdom, in biblical theology, is not merely intellectual it’s relational. It involves knowing God, obeying Him, and humbling ourselves to receive His instruction, even when it convicts us.
So, let’s ask ourselves:
What kind of “earrings” are we wearing? Are our ears adorned with the world’s noise, or are they decorated with the beauty of godly wisdom?
The gold that matters to God is not physical it is found in a heart that is teachable, humble, and receptive to His truth.
“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”
(Proverbs 16:20, ESV)
May the Lord bless you
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2023/12/27/what-is-a-kipuli-and-what-message-does-it-carry/
Copyright ©2025 Wingu la Mashahidi unless otherwise noted.