Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. EVIL MEN, NEITHER DESIRE TO BE WITH THEM - i:e., to share in their ways. ; shows the evil results of their ways, which ought to warn all how little they are to be envied, much less imitated.... [ Continue Reading ]
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. FOR THEIR HEART STUDIETH DESTRUCTION - against others, which recoils on themselves (; Proverbs 11:5; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: THROUGH WISDOM IS AN HOUSE BUILDED. Do not, in seeing the prosperity of the wicked (; ; , etc.), despair of true prosperity for thy household; for by following godly "wisdom" thou and thine shall be firmly secured in all... [ Continue Reading ]
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. BY KNOWLEDGE - of God, and of our duty to Him, to our neighbour, and to ourselves. ALL PRECIOUS AND PLEASANT RICHES - the true riches which fail not, first of the soul, ultimately of the body and external conditi... [ Continue Reading ]
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. A WISE MAN (HEBREW, geber (H1397 ), A HERO) IS STRONG - Hebrew, is in strength; i:e., invested with it. Wisdom more then supplies the place of bodily strength (Proverbs 21:22; Ecclesiastes 9:14).... [ Continue Reading ]
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. THOU SHALT MAKE THY WAR - in accordance with thine own desires (cf. ; , notes).... [ Continue Reading ]
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. WISDOM IS TOO HIGH FOR A FOOL - to attain unto. The difficulty lies not in wisdom, which is easy to the sincere, but in the fool's own unwillingness and sloth (). HE OPENETH NOT (HE DARES NOT, FOR WANT OF WISDOM, OPEN) HIS MO... [ Continue Reading ]
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. HE THAT DEVISETH TO DO EVIL (INVENTING NEW OATHS, FRAUDS, INCENTIVES TO SIN, ) SHALL BE CALLED A MISCHIEVOUS PERSON - Hebrew, 'a master of mischiefs;' a ringleader among the bad ().... [ Continue Reading ]
The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. THE THOUGHT (HEBREW, zimat (H2154 ); LITERALLY, EVIL OR MISCHIEVOUS COUNSEL) OF FOOLISHNESS (I:E., OF THE MAN OF FOOLISHNESS) (IS) SIN. The man of foolishness - i:e., wickedness-deviseth in his counsel nothing else exce... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. (IF) THOU FAINT IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY (NARROWNESS), THY STRENGTH (IS) SMALL - Hebrew, narrow; the same root as "adversity." Thou needest to have a large, not a narrow, measure of spiritual strength to enable thee to bear up against... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; IF THOU FORBEAR TO DELIVER (THEM THAT ARE) DRAWN UNTO DEATH, AND (THOSE THAT ARE) READY TO BE (LITERALLY, WAVERING ON, THE VERGE OF BEING) SLAIN. The Hebrew order is, 'to deliver etc., if thou forbear... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? IF [ kiy (H3588 ), BUT IF: FOR IF] THOU SAYEST, BEHOLD, WE KNEW IT NOT (I:E., THE PARTICULARS... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: EAT THOU HONEY, BECAUSE IT IS GOOD (A GRACIOUS INVITATION TO PARTAKE OF THE SPIRITUAL HONEY, ; PSALMS 19:9 ; ): SO SHALL THE KNOWLEDGE OF WISDOM BE UNTO THY SOUL - at once sweet and profitable. WHEN THOU... [ Continue Reading ]
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: LAY NOT WAIT, O WICKED (MAN), AGAINST THE DWELLING (HEBREW, THE COTTAGE; THE HUMBLE DWELLING) OF THE RIGHTEOUS; SPOIL NOT HIS RESTING PLACE - assail him not either by secret fraud or open violence. Sc... [ Continue Reading ]
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. FOR A JUST MAN FALLETH SEVEN (I:E., EVER SO MANY, PROVERBS 26:25 ) TIMES (INTO CALAMITIES), AND RISETH UP AGAIN - out of them all, by the help of God (Job 5:19; Psalms 37:24; Micah 7:8). Therefore,... [ Continue Reading ]
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: THINE ENEMY - so the Qeri'; but the Kethibh, 'thine enemies.' LET NOT THINE HEART BE GLAD (NOT ONLY DO NOT OPENLY REJOICE, BUT DO NOT EVEN SECRETLY IN THY HEART BE GLAD) WHEN HE STUMBLETH. Not only are we n... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. LEST THE LORD ... TURN, AWAY HIS WRATH FROM HIM - upon thee. The Lord's turning away His wrath from him is virtually to arm him with strength to punish thee for exulting in his calamity (; ; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; FRET NOT THYSELF ... NEITHER BE THOU ENVIOUS AT THE WICKED - (; ; ; .)... [ Continue Reading ]
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. FOR THERE SHALL BE NO REWARD TO THE EVIL (MAN) - contrast end of . THE CANDLE OF THE WICKED SHALL BE PUT OUT - (.)... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: FEAR THOU LORD AND THE KING - the Lord first, then the king, in so far as he is representative of God, and bears the delegated authority of God (). MEDDLE NOT WITH THEM THAT ARE GIVEN TO CHANGE - who ar... [ Continue Reading ]
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? FOR THEIR CALAMITY SHALL RISE SUDDENLY; AND WHO KNOWETH THE RUIN OF THEM BOTH? - the ruin of both those who fear not the Lord and of those who fear not the king shall come in an hour they know not ().... [ Continue Reading ]
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. Here begins a collection of maxims closing the second part, Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 12:1; Proverbs 13:1; Proverbs 14:1; Proverbs 15:1; Proverbs 16:1; Proverbs 17:1; Pro... [ Continue Reading ]
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: HE THAT SAITH UNTO THE WICKED, THOU ART RIGHTEOUS - (.) HIM SHALL THE PEOPLE CURSE. The wicked, though they allow vices in themselves, yet condemn them in others; and the general conscience... [ Continue Reading ]
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. BUT TO THEM THAT REBUKE (HIM) (THE WICKED) SHALL BE DELIGHT, AND A GOOD BLESSING (HEBREW, A BLESSING OF BUT TO THEM THAT REBUKE (HIM) (THE WICKED) SHALL BE DELIGHT, AND A GOOD BLESSING (HEBREW, A BLESSING OF... [ Continue Reading ]
Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. (EVERY MAN) SHALL KISS HIS LIPS (THE SIGN OF LOVE, ) THAT GIVETH A RIGHT ANSWER - (; ; contrast .) The Hebrew admits of another sense, and with less ellipsis: 'He that giveth a right answer shall kiss lips;' i:e., A good answer is as good... [ Continue Reading ]
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. PREPARE THY WORK WITHOUT, AND MAKE IT FIT FOR THYSELF IN THE FIELD; AND AFTERWARD BUILD THINE HOUSE. Necessary things are to take precedency of those which are for ornament and elegance. Be con... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. BE NOT A WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR WITHOUT CAUSE - falsely, or even frivolously, without sure ground for thy accusation. AND DECEIVE (NOT) WITH THY LIPS. Do not wound him either by false accusations or by ins... [ Continue Reading ]
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work. SAY NOT, I WILL DO SO TO HIM AS HE HATH DONE TO ME - (.)... [ Continue Reading ]
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; Folly of the sluggard.... [ Continue Reading ]
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. LO, IT WAS ALL GROWN OVER (LITERALLY, IT ASCENDED) WITH THORNS. The face of the field, which had been low, seemed to have, as it were, ascended by reason of the thorn... [ Continue Reading ]
Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. THEN I SAW, AND CONSIDERED IT WELL (APPLIED MY MIND TO IT) ... AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTION - (cf. margin.) I took no superficial view, but considered well what was the cause of the desolate state of the field, and so I... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: Compare the same, Proverbs 6:10. SO SHALL THY POVERTY COME AS ONE THAT TRAVELETH; AND THY WANT AS AN ARMED MAN. 'At first slowly, step by step, like a traveler, without being felt, comes debt and diminution of one's i... [ Continue Reading ]