Proverbs 26 - Introduction
_OBSERVATIONS ABOUT FOOLS, ABOUT SLUGGARDS, AND ABOUT CONTENTIOUS BUSY-BODIES._... [ Continue Reading ]
_OBSERVATIONS ABOUT FOOLS, ABOUT SLUGGARDS, AND ABOUT CONTENTIOUS BUSY-BODIES._... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE BIRD BY WANDERING— "Curses which fly out of men's mouths causlessly shall no more alight where they would have them, than a sparrow which wanders uncertainly, or a _dove_ which flies away swiftly, will settle according to their direction;" or it may be, Such curses fly as swiftly as those bir... [ Continue Reading ]
ANSWER NOT A FOOL, &C.— They who choose to review antiquity, in its antique garb, will observe, that had the folly of these fools been only of one condition or denomination, then the advice to _answer,_ and _not to answer,_ had been repugnant to itself: but as their folly was of various kinds, in so... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT SENDETH A MESSAGE— Schultens renders this, _He that cutteth off the feet, he that drinketh down bitterness, he that sendeth commands by the hand of a fool,_ are equal: That is, there is the same simplicity in the one as in the other of these actions: The two former expressions are intended t... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE THAT BINDETH A STONE IN A SLING— The plain meaning of this seems to be, what Bishop Patrick has given in his paraphrase; "As a stone put into a sling stays not long there, so is that honour thrown away which is bestowed upon a fool." Houbigant explains it in the same manner. Some of the versio... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GREAT GOD THAT FORMED ALL THINGS— There is a great diversity of opinion respecting this verse. Mr. Peters says, that _formed all_ is the same as forming the universe, and parallel to Isaiah 44:24.; and if so, our rendering is as unexceptionable as any. Houbigant has it, _The fool and the drunkar... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SLOTHFUL MAN SAITH, &C.— In this and the following verses, three degrees of sloth are represented; the first, when a man is loth to stir out of doors about his business in the field, in this verse; the second, when he is loth so much as to leave his bed; Proverbs 26:14 and the third and highest,... [ Continue Reading ]
FIREBRANDS, ARROWS, AND DEATH— _Firebrands and deadly arrows._ Houb.... [ Continue Reading ]
BURNING LIPS, AND A WICKED HEART— _Splendid lips, with a wicked heart._ Houbigant. The LXX read, _Smooth lips, disguising a wicked heart._... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE ARE SEVEN ABOMINATIONS IN HIS HEART— i.e. A great variety of base and wicked designs.... [ Continue Reading ]
A LYING TONGUE HATETH, &C.— _A deceitful tongue shall suffer its own example, a deceitful mouth shall fall into ruin._ Houbigant. Our translation, however, may be justified; and the meaning is, that it is common for men to hate those to whom they have done ill turns: _Proprium humani ingenii est, od... [ Continue Reading ]