Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. EVERY WISE WOMAN BUILDETH HER HOUSE: BUT THE FOOLISH PLUCKETH IT DOWN WITH HER HANDS - literally, 'wise women (each one) buildeth,' etc. Or else, 'the wisdom of women ... the folly,' etc. "Buildeth" - i:e., ado... [ Continue Reading ]
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. HE THAT WALKETH IN HIS UPRIGHTNESS FEARETH THE LORD: BUT HE THAT IS PERVERSE IN HIS WAYS DESPISETH HIM. Uprightness and piety are inseparable, as are also frowardness and godlessness. Each ma... [ Continue Reading ]
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. IN THE MOUTH OF THE FOOLISH (IS) A ROD OF PRIDE: BUT THE LIPS OF THE WISE SHALL PRESERVE THEM - (cf. , "The foot of pride.") The fool's "rod of pride" is his tongue, wherewith he assails and strikes othe... [ Continue Reading ]
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. WHERE NO OXEN ARE, THE CRIB IS CLEAN - i:e, Where there is no tillage of the ground (which in the East is effected by oxen), there is no food. Where there is no toil there can be no food wherewith to supply the... [ Continue Reading ]
A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. A FAITHFUL WITNESS WILL NOT LIE: BUT A FALSE WITNESS WILL UTTER LIES. He who is accustomed to tell the truth in private, you may depend upon it, will tell the truth as a public witness. "Utter lies" - lit, 'will breathe out li... [ Continue Reading ]
A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. A SCORNER SEEKETH WISDOM, AND (FINDETH IT) NOT: BUT KNOWLEDGE (IS) EASY (HEBREW, AN EASY THING) UNTO HIM THAT UNDERSTANDETH. The scorner findeth it not, because he does not seek it diligently and seri... [ Continue Reading ]
Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. GO FROM THE PRESENCE OF A FOOLISH MAN, WHEN THOU PERCEIVEST NOT (IN HIM) THE LIPS OF KNOWLEDGE. So Michaelis. Maurer, after L. DeDieu, translates, 'Go so as to stand opposite a foolish man, and you will... [ Continue Reading ]
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit. THE WISDOM OF THE PRUDENT (IS) TO UNDERSTAND HIS WAY - what he ought to do and how to behave: to do nothing rashly, but with return judgment; to understand what is incumbent on him by his calling (; ); not to b... [ Continue Reading ]
Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour. FOOLS MAKE A MOCK AT SIN - (; ; .) The Hebrew my be also translated, 'sin (i:e., when it brings its punishment) makes a mock at fools,' even as they mock at sin. BUT AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS THERE IS FAVOUR - the favour of God and o... [ Continue Reading ]
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. THE HEART KNOWETH HIS OWN BITTERNESS (HEBREW, THE BITTERNESS OF HIS SOUL); AND A STRANGER DOTH NOT INTERMEDDLE WITH HIS JOY - (cf. ) None can enter so fully into our bitterness or our joy as ourselves (). Eli... [ Continue Reading ]
The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. THE HOUSE OF THE WICKED SHALL BE OVERTHROWN: BUT THE TABERNACLE OF THE UPRIGHT SHALL FLOURISH. The abode of the wicked, though a "house," and though large, apparently flourishing, and in their own opin... [ Continue Reading ]
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. THERE IS A WAY WHICH SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN; BUT THE END THEREOF (ARE) THE WAYS OF DEATH. Good intentions are not a justification for wrongdoing (). We must search our ways of life, our opinions, and prac... [ Continue Reading ]
Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. EVEN IN LAUGHTER THE HEART IS SORROWFUL - (cf. Proverbs 14:10.) The Hebrew for "is sorrowful" [ yikª'ab (H3510)] expresses grievous and penetrating sorrow (Job 2:13). The addition of "the heart" intensifies the sorr... [ Continue Reading ]
The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. THE BACKSLIDER IN HEART () SHALL BE FILLED WITH HIS OWN WAYS - (note .) Not one who turns aside from the right path of doctrine and practice through thoughtlessness, and, as it were, only w... [ Continue Reading ]
The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. THE SIMPLE BELIEVETH EVERY WORD - whether, true or false, useful or injurious. "Charity," indeed, "believeth all things" (); but not things that are palpably untrue. It is the truth which it readily believes. It beli... [ Continue Reading ]
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. A WISE (MAN) FEARETH, AND DEPARTETH FROM EVIL - "feareth," lest he may offend God, and, through distrust of himself, keeps at the greatest distance from the contagion of sin. BUT THE FOOL RAGETH - against God, a... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated. (HE THAT IS) SOON ANGRY (Hebrew, curt, or short in his nostrils; he who lets but a short interval elapse between his taking offence and giving vent to it-the nostrils breathing out indignation) dealeth foolishly (; cf.... [ Continue Reading ]
The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. THE SIMPLE INHERIT FOLLY. "Inherit," from the contrast to 'crown themselves with,' must mean, 'The simple pertinaciously hold, as their special inheritance, folly' - i:e., their foolish opinions and bad practices. BUT THE PR... [ Continue Reading ]
The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. THE EVIL BOW BEFORE THE GOOD; AND THE WICKED AT THE GATES OF THE RIGHTEOUS. The evil shall be brought so low that they shall bow before the good to ask their help, Joseph's wicked brethren were brought to "bow themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. THE POOR IS HATED EVEN OF HIS OWN NEIGHBOUR. How inhuman to be the less charitable, just in proportion as the poor, whom God hath afflicted, need our charity! BUT THE RICH HATH MANY FRIENDS - literally, 'But those who... [ Continue Reading ]
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. HE THAT DESPISETH HIS NEIGHBOUR SINNETH - grievously. Whatever his neighbour may be, sick, ignoble, ignorant, he must not be despised; nay, 'mercy' is to be shown to him. BUT HE THAT HATH MERCY ON THE POO... [ Continue Reading ]
Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good. DO THEY NOT ERR THAT DEVISE EVIL? BUT MERCY AND TRUTH (SHALL BE) TO THEM THAT DEVISE GOOD. Those who employ the same energy in good as the bad, exercise in evil shall have, as their reward, 'mercy and truth'... [ Continue Reading ]
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. IN ALL LABOUR (HEBREW, PAINFUL LABOUR) THERE IS PROFIT: BUT THE TALK OF THE LIPS (TENDETH) ONLY TO PENURY. In all honest labour there is profit, soon or late; but no profit, nay, rather 'penury,' results from empty t... [ Continue Reading ]
The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly. THE CROWN OF THE WISE (IS) THEIR RICHES; (BUT) THE FOOLISHNESS OF FOOLS (IS) FOLLY. Not riches, but "wisdom, gives a crown of glory" (). "The prudent are crowned with knowledge," not with riches (). Therefore the sense... [ Continue Reading ]
A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies. A TRUE WITNESS DELIVERETH SOULS - `delivers' innocent souls that are calumniated and accused before judges. BUT A DECEITFUL (WITNESS) SPEAKETH (HEBREW, BREATHES FORTH) LIES - so as to destroy innocent "souls.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD (IS) STRONG CONFIDENCE; AND HIS CHILDREN SHALL HAVE A PLACE OF REFUGE. "His" - i:e., the Lord's children ().... [ Continue Reading ]
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. THE FEAR OF THE LORD (IS) A FOUNTAIN OF LIFE, TO DEPART FROM THE SNARES OF DEATH. "The law of the wise" is "the fear of the Lord;" for o... [ Continue Reading ]
In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. IN THE MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE (IS) THE KING'S HONOUR: BUT IN THE WANT OF PEOPLE (IS) THE DESTRUCTION, OF THE PRINCE - (.) "The king" who would have a 'numerous' and contented "people" as his... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. (HE THAT IS) SLOW TO WRATH (IS) OF GREAT UNDERSTANDING: BUT (HE THAT IS) HASTY OF SPIRIT EXALTETH FOLLY - (:) "Exalteth folly," like one's banner lifted up so as to be seen by all; and so is of sma... [ Continue Reading ]
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. A SOUND HEART (IS) THE LIFE OF THE FLESH: BUT ENVY THE ROTTENNESS OF THE BONES. A heart free from "envy," anger and every faulty affection toward one's neighbour, relieves the body of a great source of very many disease... [ Continue Reading ]
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. HE THAT OPPRESSETH THE POOR REPROACHETH HIS MAKER - who hath made the poor as well as the rich (; , below; ). The oppressor of the poor, whether by word or deed, persuades himself that God either... [ Continue Reading ]
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. THE WICKED IS DRIVEN AWAY IN HIS WICKEDNESS - `in his evil' - i:e., when the penalty of his evil overtakes him; as the expression, "in his death," in the parallel opposite clause requires. "Driven away" as the... [ Continue Reading ]
Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. WISDOM RESTETH IN THE HEART OF HIM THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING - not merely superficially in the lips, as in the case of those making a display, but in the inmost recesses of "the heart.... [ Continue Reading ]
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTETH A NATION: BUT SIN (IS) A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE - Hebrew, 'to peoples,' plural; whereas "a nation" is singular, implying the paucity of the nations observing righteousness, and the multitude of those that... [ Continue Reading ]
The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame. THE KING'S FAVOUR (IS) TOWARD A WISE SERVANT: BUT HIS WRATH IS (AGAINST) HIM THAT CAUSETH SHAME - (.) 'He that causeth shame,' by his want of wisdom (including skill and diligence), 'is the object of his... [ Continue Reading ]