1.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
1. mocker—scorner. Such men
are made by wine.
strong drink—made by
spicing wine (compare Isaiah 5:11;
Isaiah 5:22); and it may include
wine.
raging—or boisterous as
a drunkard.
deceived—literally,
"erring," or reeling.
2.
The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
2. (Compare ). Men who resist authority injure themselves ().
3.
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
3. to cease from strife—or,
better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the
habit of life.
fool . . . meddling—
(Proverbs 17:14).
4.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
4. shall . . . beg—literally,
"ask" (in this sense, ).
5.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
5. Counsel . . . water—that
is, deeply hidden (Proverbs 18:4;
Psalms 13:2). The wise can discern
well.
6.
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
6. Boasters are unreliable.
goodness—or, "kind
disposition."
7.
The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
7. The conduct of good men
proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good
example secure blessing to their children (Proverbs 4:26;
Psalms 112:1; Psalms 112:2).
8.
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
8. As in Proverbs 14:35;
Proverbs 16:10; Proverbs 16:15,
this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.
9.
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
9. The interrogation in the
affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14;
Ecclesiastes 7:20).
10.
Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
10. Various measures, implying
that some are wrong (compare Proverbs 11:1;
Proverbs 16:11).
11.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
11. The conduct of children even
is the best test of principle (compare ).
12.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
12. Hence, of course, God will
know all you do (Psalms 94:9).
13.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
13. Activity and diligence
contrasted with sloth (Proverbs 6:9;
Proverbs 10:11).
lest . . . poverty—literally,
"be deprived of inheritance."
14.
It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
14. when . . . his way—implying
that he goes about boasting of his bargains.
15.
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
15. The contrast denotes the
greater value of knowledge (compare ).
16.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
16. Take his garment—implies
severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.
a strange woman—by some
readings "strangers," but the former here, and in , is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is
less reliable than the merely careless.
17.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
17. Bread . . . sweet—either
as unlawfully (Proverbs 9:17) or
easily obtained.
mouth . . . gravel—well
expresses the pain and grief given at last.
18.
Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
18. (Compare ). Be careful and considerate in important plans.
19.
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
19. Those who love to tell news
will hardly keep secrets.
flattereth . . .
lips—(compare Margin; ).
meddle . . . him—literally,
"join," or "associate with."
20.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
20. his lamp—(Compare Proverbs 13:9;
Proverbs 24:20).
21.
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
21. gotten hastily—contrary to
God's providence (Proverbs 28:20),
implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or
spends freely what he got easily (compare Proverbs 28:20).
22.
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
22. (Compare Psalms 27:14;
Romans 12:17-19).
23.
Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
23. (Compare Proverbs 20:10;
Proverbs 11:1).
24.
Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
24. Man's goings—literally,
"Stately steppings of a strong man."
a man—any common man.
understand—or,
"perceive."
25.
It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
25. devoureth . . . holy—or,
better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what
is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last
clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly
vowing.
26.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
26. (Compare ).
bringeth . . . over them—The
wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity
(compare Amos 1:3).
27.
The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
27. The spirit . . . Lord—Men's
minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare
Proverbs 20:5; Proverbs 18:8;
Proverbs 18:17; 1 Corinthians 2:11).
28.
Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
28. (Compare Proverbs 3:3;
Proverbs 16:6; Proverbs 16:12).
29.
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
29. The glory of young men . . . the
beauty of old men—Each age has its peculiar excellence ().
30.
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
30. blueness—literally,
"joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound
throws off purulent matter.
stripes . . . belly—So
punishment provides healing of soul (), by deterring from evil courses.