The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. Here begins the second part of the whole book, and extends to the close of Proverbs 24:1. It differs from the first part, which forms a connected maashaal (H4912) or Parabolic commendation... [ Continue Reading ]
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. TREASURES OF WICKEDNESS PROFIT NOTHING: BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS DELIVERETH FROM DEATH. "Profit nothing" - namely, TREASURES OF WICKEDNESS PROFIT NOTHING: BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS DELIVERETH FROM DEATH. "Profit nothing" - namely,... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. THE LORD WILL NOT SUFFER THE SOUL OF THE RIGHTEOUS TO FAMISH - (Psalms 37:25-19.) Not that the righteous are exempted from hungering with want at times. David was hungry (1 Samuel 21:3);... [ Continue Reading ]
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. HE BECOMETH POOR THAT DEALETH WITH A SLACK HAND: BUT THE HAND OF THE DILIGENT MAKETH RICH. "Dealeth" - i.e., doeth his work (cf. Proverbs 12:24; Proverbs 12:27). "A slack hand" - Hebrew, a hand of deceit... [ Continue Reading ]
He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. HE THAT GATHERETH IN SUMMER IS A WISE SON. A characteristic of "wise son" who "maketh a glad father" (). The "summer" or "harvest" time (as the second clause explains it) here represents the s... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. BLESSINGS ARE UPON THE HEAD OF THE JUST: BUT VIOLENCE COVERETH THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED - (cf. .) All pray for blessings to descend on the head of the just; and they do so descend. But the penalty of the "viole... [ Continue Reading ]
The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. THE MEMORY OF THE JUST IS BLESSED: BUT THE NAME OF THE WICKED SHALL ROT - (cf. , note; .) 'Whosoever.' says Rabbi Isaac, 'makes mention of the just, and does not bless him; or of the wicked, and does not curse him, transgre... [ Continue Reading ]
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. THE WISE IN HEART WILL RECEIVE COMMANDMENTS - namely, those of God, and of the servants of God, as to the right regulation of his heart and life (). BUT A PRATING FOOL SHALL FALL - one who pertinaciously defends his fo... [ Continue Reading ]
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. HE THAT WALKETH UPRIGHTLY WALKETH SURELY. "Uprightly," "in integrity" or 'sincerity,' as David did (). "Walketh surely;" safe from the reality and from the apprehension of danger. Hypocrites are in continua... [ Continue Reading ]
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. HE THAT WINKETH WITH THE EYE CAUSETH SORROW. "Winketh-namely, with malicious intent (, note). Feigning kindliness to his neighbour, but all the while giving a secret hint or sign to his accomplices to cheat or rob him.... [ Continue Reading ]
The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. THE MOUTH OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN IS A WELL OF LIFE. He speaks words which issue in life (in the highest sense) to himself and to others. BUT VIOLENCE COVERETH THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED - (note, .) Whereas t... [ Continue Reading ]
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. HATRED STIRRETH UP STRIFES: BUT LOVE COVERETH ALL SINS. "Stirreth up" - literally, as one lifting up a spear which before had been at rest. So the Hebrew [ `owreer (H5782)] in 2 Samuel 23:18. So hatred disturbs the existing quiet by railings... [ Continue Reading ]
In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. IN THE LIPS OF HIM THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING WISDOM IS FOUND: BUT A ROD IS FOR THE BACK OF HIM THAT IS VOID OF UNDERSTANDING. "Wisdom - i:e., wise speech-brings no rod to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. WISE MEN LAY UP KNOWLEDGE: BUT THE MOUTH OF THE FOOLISH IS NEAR DESTRUCTION. After "the lips" (), the bringers forth of knowledge, follows the mind or memory, its storehouse. The wise lay it up in the mind, so as to brin... [ Continue Reading ]
The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. THE RICH MAN'S WEALTH IS HIS STRONG CITY: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE POOR IS THEIR POVERTY - i:e., in the estimation of the rich and the poor respectively. Though the feelings are distinct, the elated feeling of ... [ Continue Reading ]
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. THE LABOUR OF THE RIGHTEOUS TENDETH TO LIFE: THE FRUIT OF THE WICKED TO SIN. This contrasts with men's false view of riches being a stronghold, and poverty "destruction" () - the true view of what brings life and what br... [ Continue Reading ]
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. HE (IS IN) THE WAY OF LIFE THAT KEEPETH INSTRUCTION: BUT HE THAT REFUSETH REPROOF ERRETH - rather, as margin, 'causeth to err;' and then, for the sake of correspondence, the parallel clause will be, 'The way t... [ Continue Reading ]
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. HE THAT HIDETH HATRED (WITH) LYING LIPS, AND HE THAT UTTERETH A SLANDER, IS A FOOL - rather, as the verses generally are distichs - i:e., composed of two parallel sentences-`He that hideth (i:e., dissembleth) hatred... [ Continue Reading ]
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. IN THE MULTITUDE OF WORDS THERE WANTETH NOT SIN: BUT HE THAT REFRAINETH HIS LIPS IS WISE. "Refraineth," as with a bridle; because we must by force bridle our tongue as an untameable member (James 3:2). Peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. THE TONGUE OF THE JUST IS AS CHOICE SILVER: THE HEART OF THE WICKED IS LITTLE WORTH. "The tongue of the just" is precious, because of the choice and valuable words it utters. "The heart of the wicked" stands in... [ Continue Reading ]
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS FEED MANY: BUT FOOLS DIE FOR WANT OF WISDOM. "Feed" with instruction, guidance, and consolation () "But fools" not only do not spiritually feed others, but themselves "die for want of wisdom?" "The l... [ Continue Reading ]
The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. THE BLESSING OF THE LORD, IT MAKETH RICH, AND HE ADDETH NO SORROW WITH IT - i:e., with His blessing (Psalms 127:2, note, 'So He giveth (wealth) to His beloved, in sleep' - i:e., without anxiety on their part). "It" is emph... [ Continue Reading ]
It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. IT IS AS SPORT TO A FOOL TO DO MISCHIEF: BUT A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING HATH WISDOM - as his "sport." What he knows by understanding ought to be done, that by wisdom he does. "Wisdom" dictates to him to do just the rever... [ Continue Reading ]
The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. THE FEAR OF THE WICKED, IT SHALL COME UPON HIM: BUT THE DESIRE OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE GRANTED - literally, '(God) will grant.' The wicked and the righteous respectively shall receive the reward of... [ Continue Reading ]
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. AS THE WHIRLWIND PASSETH, SO (IS) THE WICKED NO (MORE) - as rapidly as the whirlwind passes. No wind is more violent or less lasting. So the wicked, the more violent and mischievous they are, the... [ Continue Reading ]
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. AS VINEGAR (IS HURTFUL) TO THE TEETH, AND AS SMOKE TO THE EYES, SO (IS) THE SLUGGARD (hurtful) to them that send him. The sluggard, as a messenger, causes detriment to his employer by either not executin... [ Continue Reading ]
The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. THE FEAR OF THE LORD PROLONGETH DAYS - namely, the days of the righteous, beyond the term of life assigned to others (note, ). The days of the righteous, by virtue of God's gift of eternal life, shall be foreve... [ Continue Reading ]
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. THE HOPE OF THE RIGHTEOUS (SHALL BE) GLADNESS - i:e., shall have a glad and joyful issue. Though they have many blessings now, their chief portion is in "hope" (). BUT THE EXPECTATION OF THE WICKED SHA... [ Continue Reading ]
The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. THE WAY OF THE LORD'S (IS) STRENGTH TO THE UPRIGHT - i:e., The Lord's appointed way of holiness wherein the upright walk, (is) strength (literally, a stronghold: Hebrew, maa`howz (H4581)) to the... [ Continue Reading ]
The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL NEVER BE REMOVED - or disturbed from his strong position of faith in God here, much less from his coming "habitation" and blessed inheritance hereafter. So the antithesis to the succeeding claus... [ Continue Reading ]
The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. THE MOUTH OF THE JUST BRINGETH FORTH, [AS FRUIT PRODUCED FROM A GOOD TREE, yaanuwb (H5107 ); PSALMS 92:14 ; MATTHEW 7:17 ] WISDOM. It is not by one or two good words that the righteousness of a man is to be est... [ Continue Reading ]
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS KNOW WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE. "Know" - i:e., have the power, through the divine teaching of the mind and heart, to speak what is acceptable to God, and even to Man_1:-1 :e.,... [ Continue Reading ]