Proverbs 25:26

falling down Better, with R.V., that giveth way, or (marg.) is moved. To see a righteous man moved from his stedfastness through fear or favour in the presence of the wicked is as disheartening, as to find the stream turbid and defiled, at which you were longing to quench your thirst.

Lord Bacon, quoted by Lange, gives the proverb a judicial application: "This proverb teaches that an unjust and scandalous judgement in any conspicuous and weighty cause is above all things to be avoided in the State." And again, "One foul sentence doeth more hurt than many foul examples; for these do but corrupt the stream, the other corrupteth the fountain."

troubled Lit. trampled, i.e. fouled by the feet. Comp. Ezekiel 34:18, where the same Heb. word is used of water, with the addition of "with your feet."

corrupt Better, corrupted, R.V.