Proverbs 26:17

meddleth Rather, vexeth himself, R.V. See Proverbs 20:2, where the same word is rendered, provoketh to anger, A.V. and R.V. text, or angereth himself against, R.V. marg. Of course in this place the "meddling" is implied as the consequence of his "vexing himself." He is provoked to interfere.

By neglecting the Heb. accents the word rendered passeth byis transferred in R.V. margin to the dog: "a passing dog." But the force of the proverb lies in the fact that the man who is provoked to interfere is a mere passer by;the strife in no way belongs to him.

the ears The LXX. substitute, the tail: ὁ κρατῶν κέρκον κυνός. The meaning in either case is, he deserves to be bitten for his pains. "The Latin proverbial phrase, -auribus lupum tenere," may be noticed for its curious parallelism." Speaker's Comm.