Proverbs 16:26

He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him. HE THAT LABOURETH, LABOURETH FOR HIMSELF - literally, 'The soul of him that laboureth, laboureth,' etc. FOR HIS MOUTH CRAVETH IT OF HIM - literally, 'is bowed,' or 'boweth itself unto him,' as a suppliant craving food for its wants. Or, more literally, 'boweth itself upon him' - i:e., imposes labour upon him. Solomon exhorts here to 'labour,' which is man's appointed portion (; , "All the labour of man is for his mouth"). Labour tends to the good of him that laboureth, and supplies his pressing needs (cf. ). So in our spiritual needs labour (i:e., diligence and earnestness) is the path to the heavenly rest. The...

Verse Proverbs 16:26. _HE THAT LABOURETH_] No thanks to a man for his labour and industry; if he do not work he must _starve_....

HE THAT LABORETH - literally, as in the margin, i. e., “The desire of the laborer labors for him” (or, helps him in his work), “for his mouth urges him on.” Hunger of some kind is the spring of all hearty labor. Without that the man would sit down and take his ease. So also, unless there is a hunger in the soul, craving to be fed, there can be no true labor after righteousness and wisdom (compare Matthew 5:6)....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 16:1 These are specially religions maxims, and they all contain the name Jehovah. PROVERBS 16:1 The Authorized Version makes one sentence of this verse without any contrast or antithesis. This is plainly wrong, there being intended a contrast between the thought of the heart and the well ordered speech. It is better translated, _The plans of the heart are man_'_s_:_ but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. _Men make plans, arrange speeches, muster arguments, in the mind; but to put these into proper, persuasive words is a gift of God. "Our sufficiency is of God" (2 Corinthians 3:5). In the case of

HE THAT LABOURETH, LABOURETH FOR HIMSELF,.... Man is born for labour; it is a part of the curse inflicted on him for sin; and his condition and circumstances are such as make it necessary, for such who will not work ought not to eat; and it is labouring for food and raiment which is here meant, and that is for a man's self; for if he labours to be rich and lay up money, and purchase estates, these are more for others than himself, and indeed he knows not for whom he labours. It is indeed in the original, "the soul of him that labours l, labours for himself"; and it may be understood of the labour of, the soul for spiritual things, for spiritual food, for that meat which endures to everlasting life; and may intend the various exercises of religion in which men employ themselves, that they may have food for their souls, and grow thereby; such as praying, reading the Scriptures, attending o...

CHAPTER 16 IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD The name Jehovah (LORD) appears eleven times in this chapter of Proverbs. The Lord has the final word, for to man belong the preparations (or plans) of the heart; but from the LORD is the answer of the tongue. It is the same thought as in our English proverb--“Man proposes--God disposes.” Man loves to justify himself, his ways are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits; He is the judge of ways and motives. Our works are to be committed (literal: rolled upon) unto the LORD, then establishment and blessing will follow. It is strange that these three verses were omitted in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. The LORD hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil Proverbs 16:4. Much error has been taught in connection with this verse. Some have taught that God made some wicked. It is not said

PROVERBS 16. The special feature is a group of aphorisms (Proverbs 16:10) relating to kings. The sentiments seem rather to reflect the picture of the ideal king than to indicate any particular period. The metaphors employed and the character depicted suggest a parallel with the ideal king of Psalms 72. PROVERBS 16:4. The lit. rendering of Proverbs 16:4 a is Yahweh has made every work for its answer_ i.e._ the nexus of cause and effect seen in the moral government of the world is His work, a kind of prearranged harmony. The supreme instance is the case of the wicked, their answer is the day of evil. We have an assertion of the righteousness of Yahweh's government rather than of their predestinati

HE THAT LABOURETH. the soul of him who laboureth. Hebrew. _nephesh._ MOUTH. appetite. CRAVETH IT OF HIM. urgeth him on....

_He that laboureth laboureth for himself_ Rather, THE DESIRE, or appetite (lit. SOUL, see A.V. marg.) OF HIM THAT LABOURETH, LABOURETH FOR HIM. The desire which craves satisfaction is the motive power, impelling to the labour by which it is satisfied. Couched, after the true manner of a parable, in terms belonging to the lowest sphere of animal appetite ("his mouth, or bodily hunger, craveth it of him"), the proverb extends to the highest aspirations and noblest efforts of the affections, the intellect and the soul. Comp. John 6:27, and Ecclesiastes 6:7 (where the Heb. words for "labour" and "desire" or "appetite" are the same as here): "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not filled....

TEXT Proverbs 16:23-33 23. The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips. 24. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death. 26. The appetite of the laboring man laboreth for him; For his mouth urgeth him thereto. 27. A worthless man deviseth mischief; And in his lips there is as a scorching fire. 28. A perverse man scattereth abroad strife; And a whisperer separateth chief friends. 29. A man of violence enticeth his neighbor, And leadeth him in a way that is not good. 30. He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise perverse things: He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass.