Solomon is the main author
Proverbs opens by naming Solomon, the son of David and king of Israel, as its source (Proverbs 1:1). Another large collection begins by identifying itself as Solomon’s proverbs too (Proverbs 10:1). For that reason, people have long rightly connected the book most closely with him.
Solomon’s place in the book fits what Scripture says about his life. God gave him remarkable wisdom and understanding, and his reputation reached far beyond Israel (1 Kings 4:29-32; 1 Kings 4:33-34). Still, Proverbs is not simply a record of a clever king’s observations. It teaches that real wisdom starts with reverence for the Lord (Proverbs 1:7).
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Proverbs has several contributors
Solomon did not write every saying in the book. Proverbs 22 introduces words from wise men, and Proverbs 24 marks another group of sayings as belonging to the wise (Proverbs 22:17; Proverbs 24:23). The book itself is open about preserving wisdom from more than one teacher.
The final chapters name two further sources. Proverbs 30 identifies Agur as the speaker of its collection, while Proverbs 31 introduces the words of King Lemuel and the instruction his mother gave him (Proverbs 30:1; Proverbs 31:1). So the best answer is that Solomon is the chief author, but not the only human voice represented.
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
Hezekiah’s men copied some sayings
Proverbs 25 begins a new set of Solomon’s sayings and says that the men of King Hezekiah copied them out (Proverbs 25:1). Hezekiah lived generations after Solomon, which shows that Solomon’s wisdom was preserved and collected over time.
Those men were not claiming to be the original writers of Solomon’s proverbs. They served as scribes and compilers, helping pass on these sayings to later generations. The finished book has the feel of a carefully kept treasury rather than one private notebook.
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
How to read Proverbs well
Knowing that Proverbs is a collection helps us read it wisely. Its short sayings teach the usual shape of a God-honouring life, touching speech, work, relationships, money, justice, and self-control. They are not meant to dismiss the hard realities of suffering or suggest that every faithful person will see immediate results.
Yet all its contributors share one foundation. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, meaning humble awe, trust, and a willingness to live by God’s ways (Proverbs 9:10). Whether you are reading Solomon, Agur, Lemuel, or the unnamed wise teachers, the invitation is the same: listen carefully and practise what is good.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.