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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 10:1

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The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son [is] the heaviness of his mother.

1. heaviness ] or sorrow, as the same somewhat uncommon word is rendered in Pro 17:21.

It is perhaps significant that the first proverb deals with so fundamental a relation of human society.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

See the Introduction.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Pro 10:1

A wise son maketh a glad father.

A sons wisdom a fathers joy

The first proverb is a characteristic specimen of its kind. It is in your power to make your father glad, and God expects you to do it. Here is one of the sweetest fruits of wisdom–a sons wisdom is his fathers joy. A son who breaks his mothers heart–can this earth have any more irksome load to bear? Foolish son! it is not your mother only with whom you have to deal. God put it into her heart to love you, to watch over you night and day, to bear with all your waywardness, to labour for you to the wasting of her own life. All this is Gods law in her being. Her Maker and yours knew that by putting these instincts into her nature for your good He was laying on her a heavy burden. But He is just. He intended that she should be repaid. His system provides compensation for outlay. There are two frailties–a frailty of infancy and a frailty of age. God has undertaken, in the constitution of His creatures, to provide for both. Where are His laws of compensation written? One on the fleshy table of the heart, the other on the table of the ten commandments. He who knows what is in man would not confide to instinct the care of an aged parent. For that He gave distinct command. There is the mothers title to her turn of cherishing. You dare not dispute her right, and you cannot withstand her Avenger. (W. Arnot, D.D.)

Parental solicitude

This arises–

I. From the imperfection of parents on their own parts. We all want our children to avoid our faults. Children are very apt to be echoes of the parental life.

II. From our conscious inefficiency and unwisdom of discipline. Out of twenty parents there may be one who understands how thoroughly and skilfully to discipline. We, nearly all of us, are on one side or on the other. The discipline is an entire failure in many houses because the father pulls one way and the mother pulls the other way. To strike the medium between severity and too great leniency is the anxiety of every intelligent parent.

III. From the early development of childish sinfulness.

IV. Because our young people are surrounded by so many temptations. (T. De Witt Talmage.)

The influence of the childs character upon the parents heart

I. The holy character of a child gladdens the heart of a parent.

1. He sees in it the best results of his training.

2. The best guarantee for his sons happiness.

II. The unholy character of a child saddens the heart of a parent. Especially a mother. All her toils, anxieties, have been fruitless. A heavy cloud lies on her soul. (Homilist.)

A foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

The mothers sorrow

The word heaviness means, in this connection, sadness, sorrow, dejection of mind, a wounded spirit, a broken heart. Foolishness denotes, not merely an intellectual weakness, nor merely a religious want, but in general, any grand moral deficiency in the whole complex economy of character.

I. The young man neglectful of his intellectual culture. In all the infinite range of being, after you leave the irrational, until you reach the Divine, there is none whose education is finished. Every young man ought to be giving diligent heed to his intellectual development and discipline. The word foolishness here is the antithesis, not of learning, but of wisdom–two very different things. Learning, in its profoundness, is not possible to all young men. Education, i.e., eduction–a drawing forth, a development. Not a mind infused with erudition, but a mind led forth to think. As thinking is hard work, and most men are lazy, few willingly think. They prefer to buy thought. A true mothers first thought is her childs education. This, however, often errs sadly, in undue forcing, or in undue attention to merely light literature.

II. The indolent young man.

1. The man who has no regular business. The young man of inherited wealth, or the poor young man who has neither energy nor ambition to rise.

2. The man who, having a business, does not attend to it.

(1) In some cases this results from sheer indolence. The man has no bone or sinew in him, no instinct of effort, no adaptation for work. Among men of strong hands he is simply a mistake.

(2) In other cases this results from a wrong choice of business. The man got into a sphere for which he had no adaptation either mental or physical. Men are everywhere out of place, maladjusted, and so they fail. And by this first failure some men are hopelessly discouraged.

(3) In other cases this results from false theories of success. The man is a believer in good luck and grand chances. He trusts to fortune and waits for opportunity.

(4) In other cases the failure results from divided application and energy. The man attempts too much. Ignoring the principle of a division of labour as the grand law of civilisation, he affects the practical barbarism of attempting to do everything. Every efficient thing God ever made does its own work always, and its own work only. Life is too short for the accomplishment of great tasks with divided energies. Be the reason of the failure what it may, the world is full of men who, with a business to do, never succeed in it. Life swarms with indolent and inefficient men. And all such sons are a heaviness to their mother. Mothers want their sons to be something and to do something.

III. The young man who selects a wrong business or pursues it with a wrong spirit. The grand aim to-day is to get rich speedily. The practical theory is that all business is honourable in proportion to its revenues; but never was a theory more false. All honest business is equally honourable. The young man should engage in no work requiring the slightest violation of dictate of conscience. Evil work may have large revenues, but such success is simply infamous. The man who wins it thus is a disgrace to his generation. Womans nature is alive with lofty and chivalrous sentiments. A sons spotless honour is his mothers glory.

IV. The young man who makes choice of unprincipled, immoral, irreligious companions. Choose your companions as you would if they were to go in daily to your mothers fireside. Beware of the young man of fashion. Beware of the sceptical young man. There are those who think freely and speak freely of human nature and of religion–Freethinkers. Beware of the young man of practical immorality. He is a sharper in business, untruthful, a Sabbath-breaker, a profane swearer, a quarreller; his associations are with fast men; he has no reputation for purity.

V. The young man who has become evil himself. It seems impossible that, coming from a happy Christian home, any young man should ever go so widely astray. But alas! the strange thing happens. We see it every day. What a fearful heaviness this brings to a mothers heart. Parental love becomes agony when a child turns to evil courses. To save you from this dire moral pestilence a parent would gladly lay down life.

VI. The young man who lives in neglect of personal religion. To Solomon wisdom in its last analysis is personal piety, and foolishness is practical irreligion. You may sneer at religion and think it noble and wise to call yourself infidel. Your mother does not. To her religion is a life and power. Surely an impenitent son is a heaviness to his mother. (C. Wadsworth.)

The young mans

progress:–In these verses you may make out a sort of successive parallel history of two human beings from the cradle to the grave.

I. These two young men at home. Children at home. Character begins to be developed very soon. Very little boys may sometimes indicate those tempers and dispositions which, upon the one side shall make the fathers heart glad, or on the other, fill the mother with heaviness.

II. These two young men going out (Pro 10:5). The great lesson from this verse is, the importance of taking time by the forelock, using advantages when we have them. It does not do to neglect advantages; seize upon them, use them, do everything in its season. Two things young men should not do: they should neither anticipate nor procrastinate.

III. These two young men getting on. They are now men in business for themselves, having their own responsibilities. Here is an infallible rule: He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. Two kinds of slackness of hand: he may do the thing half-asleep, carelessly; he may not keep tight hold on the profits. The man who works with vigour and with thought, whose whole soul and mind and heart work, as well as his hand–he understands the price at which his profits are obtained.

IV. These two young men in relation to success. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivereth from death. Two men may get rich–the one by wickedness, trickery, wrong; the other by industry, probity, diligence. Righteousness here probably signifies benevolence, beneficence. The property of the man who is selfish and covetous will do him no good. Riches may be the means of grace as well as anything else. The beneficent man looks at his wealth as a thing which is to be used for God.

V. These two young men in relation to change. In the alteration of circumstance, in misfortune, what a difference there is between the fall of a man who has a thorough character and that of a man who has not.

VI. These two young men in relation to the end. Blessings are upon the head of the just, but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The wicked here means the flagrantly wicked. When the just man grows old he is crowned with respect and love; but the wicked old man receives violence. The same people, exasperated, unable to bear him any longer, cover his mouth and put him out of the way. There is no spectacle on earth so painful as that of a wicked old man.

VII. Now for the epitaph. The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. The memory of just parents is better than a fortune to the children. The very name of the wicked shall become putrid and offensive. The two great principles which rightly tone the fortunes of the young man are, willingness to learn and uprightness of walking. Everything must be done uprightly. (T. Binney.)

Foolish sons

I never can forget my interview with a widowed mother who sent for me to counsel with her over her only son, who for the first time had been brought home by a policeman and laid helpless in the hall. It was the adders first sting in a mothers heart. I said, This is the turning-point of your boys life: harshness now will ruin him; love him now more than ever. Said she, He is penitent this morning, and says it shall be the last time. It was not. Such first times are seldom last times. The burden grew heavier, till at last the mothers prayer moved the Hand to move the heart, and he was plucked as a brand from the burning and brought into the fold of Christ. And it is not only the drunken or debauched son that lies heavy on the mothers heart. Sin leads to other follies and breeds other griefs. When I see a young man who has superior advantages for culture wandering into low companionship, pitching his household tent over against Sodom, I say, There is a foolish son who will be the heaviness of his mother. When I see beardless self-conceit talking about the scientific scepticism of the day, and pretending to Rationalism and doubts about Gods Book and the Cross of Christ, and scoffing at what the Isaac Newtons and the Luthers and Wesleys and Chalmers bowed down before with overawed spirit–sneering at the faith once delivered to the saints–I predict a career that will be a heaviness to the mother. (T. L. Cuyler, D.D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

CHAPTER X

It is impossible to give summaries of such chapters as these,

where almost every verse contains a separate subject. Our

common version not being able to exhibit the contents as usual,

simply says, “From this chapter to the five and twentieth are

sundry observations upon moral virtues, and their opposite

vices.” In general the wise man states in this chapter the

difference between the wise and the foolish, the righteous and

the wicked, the diligent and the idle. He speaks also of love

and hatred, of the good and the evil tongue, or of the

slanderer and the peace-maker.

NOTES ON CHAP. X.

Verse 1. The proverbs of Solomon] Some ancient MSS. of the Vulgate have Proverbiorum liber secundus, “The second book of the Proverbs.” The preceding nine chapters can only be considered as an introduction, if indeed they may be said to make even a part, of the proverbs of Solomon, which appear to commence only at the tenth chapter.

A wise son maketh a glad father] The parallels in this and several of the succeeding chapters are those which Bishop Lowth calls the antithetic; when two lines correspond with each other by an opposition of terms and sentiments; when the second is contrasted with the first; sometimes in expression, sometimes in sense only. Accordingly the degrees of antithesis are various; from an exact contraposition of word to word, through a whole sentence, down to a general disparity, with something of a contrariety in the two propositions, as: –

A wise son rejoiceth in his father.

But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

Where every word has its opposite; for the terms father and mother are, as the logicians say, relatively opposite.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

A wise son, i.e. prudent, and especially virtuous and godly, as this word is commonly meant in this book, and in many other scriptures.

A glad father; and a glad mother too; for both parents are to be understood in both branches, as is evident from the nature of the thing, which affects both of them, and from parallel places, as Pro 17:25; 30:17, although one only be expressed in each branch, for the greater elegancy.

The heaviness of his mother; the occasion of her great sorrow, which is decently ascribed to the mothers rather than to the fathers, because their passions are most vehement, and make deepest impression in them.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

1. wise [and] foolishasthey follow or reject the precepts of wisdom.

maketh . . . fatheror,”gladdens a father.”

heavinessor, “grief.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

The proverbs of Solomon,…. This title is repeated from Pr 1:1; and very properly stands here; since here begin those pithy sentences of Solomon, which bear the name of proverbs; the preceding chapters being a sort of preface or introduction to them; in which Solomon recommends the study of wisdom, shows the profit and advantage of it, gives directions about it, and prepares for the reception of those wise sayings that follow; which are for the most part independent of each other, and consist generally of clauses set in a contrast to one another, and often expressed by similes and metaphors;

a wise son maketh a glad father; as Solomon made glad his father David: for no doubt there were appearances of his wisdom before he came to the throne, though greater afterwards; which made David rejoice that he was placed on the throne before his death, to whom he had committed the charge of building the house of the Lord;

but a foolish son [is] the heaviness of his mother; brings grief and trouble to her, as perhaps Rehoboam did to his mother: though all this is to be understood conjunctly of both parents, and not separately of each; not as if a wise son only was matter of joy to his father, who may be thought to be a better judge of his wisdom, and more abroad to hear the fame of it, and to observe the effects of it; or as if a foolish son only caused grief to his mother, because more at home, and more privy to his foolish behaviour; but as being equally joyous or afflicting to both parents. Nor is this to be understood of such who are wise and foolish as to their natural capacities only; but who are so in a moral sense, either virtuous or vicious, good or wicked. Wherefore parents should be concerned for the education of their children, whose behaviour much depends upon it; and children for their conduct towards their parents and in the world, since their joy and grief are influenced by it. Some interpret the words mystically, the “father”, of God; the “mother”, of the church; and, the “sons”, of the children of them both: and so may fitly describe the different followers of Christ and antichrist; the one being wise, the other foolish; the one acceptable to God, the other not.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

In the introduction, chap. 1-9, there are larger sections of interconnected thoughts having one common aim. Even in Prov 6:1-19 there are manifestly three proverbial discourses distinguished from one another, shorter indeed, yet containing one fundamental thought. Such proverbs as are primarily designed to form one completed little whole of themselves, are not here to be met with. On the contrary, the Solomonic collection which now follows consists of pure distichs, for the most part antithetical, but at the same time going over all the forms of the technical proverb, as we have already shown; vid., p. 16. Accordingly the exposition must from this point onward renounce reproduced combinations of thought. The succession of proverbs here is nevertheless not one that is purely accidental or without thought; it is more than a happy accident when three of the same character stand together; the collector has connected together proverb with proverb according to certain common characteristics (Bertheau). And yet more than that: the mass separates itself into groups, not merely succeeding one another, but because a certain connection of ideas connects together a number of proverbs, in such a way that the succession is broken, and a new point of departure is arrived at (Hitzig). There is no comprehensive plan, such as Oetinger in his summary view of its contents supposes; the progressive unfolding follows no systematic scheme, but continuously wells forth. But that the editor, whom we take also to be the arranger of the contents of the book, did not throw them together by good chance, but in placing them together was guided by certain reasons, the very first proverb here shows, for it is chosen in conformity with the design of this book, which is specially dedicated to youth:

1 A wise son maketh glad his father;

A foolish son is his mother’s grief.

One sees here quite distinctly (cf. Hos 13:13) that (from , properly to be thick, stout, solid, as = ) is primarily a practical and ethical conception. Similar proverbs are found further on, but consisting of synonymous parallel members, in which either the father both times represents the parents, as Pro 17:21; Pro 23:24, or father and mother are separated, each being named in different members, as Pro 17:25; Pro 23:25, and particularly Pro 15:20, where 20a = 1a of the above proverb. It is incorrect to say, with Hitzig, that this contrast draws the division after it: the division lies nearer in the synonymous distichs, and is there less liable to be misunderstood than in the antithetic. Thus, from this proverb before us, it might be concluded that grief on account of a befooled son going astray in bypaths, and not coming to the right way, falls principally on the mother, as (Sir. 3:9) is often the case in unfortunate marriages. The idea of the parents is in this way only separated, and the two members stand in suppletive interchangeable relationship. is the middle of the clause, and is the usual form in connection; is the pausal form. , from ( ), has pass. , as , act. . “The expression of the pred. 1b is like Pro 3:17; Pro 8:6; Pro 10:14.; cf. e.g., Arab. alastaksa furkat , oversharpening is dividing, i.e., effects it inquiries become or lead to separation (cf. our proverb, Allzuscharf macht scharig = too much sharpening makes full of notches); Burckhardt, Sprchw. Nr. 337” (Fl.).

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Weighty Sayings.

1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Solomon, speaking to us as unto children, observes here how much the comfort of parents, natural, political, and ecclesiastical, depends upon the good behaviour of those under their charge, as a reason, 1. Why parents should be careful to give their children a good education, and to train them up in the ways of religion, which, if it obtain the desired effect, they themselves will have the comfort of it, or, if not, they will have for their support under their heaviness that they have done their duty, have done their endeavour. 2. Why children should conduct themselves wisely and well, and live up to their good education, that they may gladden the hearts of their parents, and not sadden them. Observe, (1.) It adds to the comfort of young people that are pious and discreet that thereby they do something towards recompensing their parents for all the care and pains they have taken with them, and occasion pleasure to them in the evil days of old age, when they most need it; and it is the duty of parents to rejoice in their children’s wisdom and well-doing, yea, though it arrive at such an eminency as to eclipse them. (2.) It adds to the guilt of those that conduct themselves ill that thereby they grieve those whom they ought to be a joy to, and are a heaviness particularly to their poor mothers who bore them with sorrow, but with greater sorrow see them wicked and vile.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

PART III. PROVERBS OF SOLOMON

(Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16)

A. Contrasting Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33

child conduct

(Pro 10:1))

Verse 1 declares that right conduct by a child brings gladness to father and mother, but foolish or evil actions by son or daughter cause sorrow and pain to parents. Many Scriptures confirm this teaching, Pro 15:20; Pro 17:21; Pro 17:25; Pro 19:13; Pro 28:7; Gen 47:12; Gen 48:2; Gen 26:34-35; Gen 27:42-46.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

We here enter upon the second main division of the Book of Proverbs, which is composed of a number of distinct propositions or maxims, having but little connection with each other and answering to the modern signification of the word proverb. Wordsworth here remarks that the Proverbs of the present chapter are exemplifications in detail of the principles, practices, and results of the two ways of life displayed in the foregoing chapters which constitute the prologue.
CRITICAL NOTES.

Pro. 10:1. Heaviness, grief.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 10:1

PARENTAL GRIEF AND GLADNESS

The generalisation of the first nine chapters here descends into particular applications. The chemist dilates upon the power and excellence of certain elements, and then illustrates what he has affirmed by showing their action in particular cases. Solomon has dwelt long upon the general blessings which will flow from listening to the counsels of Divine Wisdom, and he now shows some particular instances of it. He begins with its effect in the family. Consider

I. How the author here speaks from personal experience.

1. In his relation to his father. Men in positions of far less importance than that which David held are solicitous that their sons should possess such a character and such mental qualifications as will enable them to fulfil the duties which they will bequeath to them at their own departure from the world. The owner of a large estate, if he has a right sense of his own responsibilities, desires that his heir should be one who will exercise his stewardship wisely and generously. The head of a mercantile firm hopes that the son who is to succeed to his position will be prudent and far-seeing, and possess an aptitude for business. If a monarch is what he ought to be, and feels how very great is his power for good or evil, it will be a matter of the deepest anxiety to him that the son who is one day to sit upon the throne should be one who will discharge his weighty duties wisely and well. David was such a monarch, and we can well imagine how great was his solicitude that his well-beloved son Solomon should possess such gifts and graces as would enable him worthily to fulfil the high position he would one day be called to occupy. And, from what we know of Solomons youth and early manhood, we have every reason to believe that he was such a son as gladdened his fathers heart. In the wonderful seventy-second Psalmwhich, although it has its entire fulfilment only in the greater than Solomon, refers, doubtless, in the first instance, to the great kingwe have a glimpse of Davids desires and hopes concerning him. He begins with a prayer for him: Give the king Thy judgments, O God, and Thy righteousness unto the kings son (Pro. 10:1). And then he gives utterance to the hopes which he cherished concerning his prosperous and beneficent reignhopes which, alas! would have been sadly dimmed could he have foreseen the cloud that overshadowed Solomons later days, but which were founded in the evidences which he gave of youthful piety and devotion. Solomon knew that he had been the gladness of his fathers heart, because he had been a wise son, and therefore he spoke from experience when he uttered the first clause of this proverb. But he spoke no less from experience when he gave utterance to the opposite truth. Solomon was a father as well as a son, and he speaks

(2) in his relation to his son. Rehoboams youth and manhoodfor he was a man long before his fathers deathwere not, we may fairly conclude, of such a character as to give his father much joy, but was such as to awaken the gravest fears concerning his conduct when he should become absolute master of the kingdom. We well know how these fears were justified by his conduct on his accession to the throne. The great crime of Davids life had been committed before Solomons birth, and had, therefore, had no bad influence upon him, but the sins of his own old age were a sad example to set before his son, and could not have been without their evil influence. From what we read of Rehoboam, we can but conclude that he had been a foolish son, and that Solomons heart was heavy with sadness concerning him when he penned these words. These thoughts suggest a lesson which parents should deeply ponder, viz., that whether parents shall have gladness or grief in their children depends not so much upon the execellence of their words as upon the godliness of their lives. Solomon uttered thousands of moral precepts, but had he uttered as many more, they would not have had much effect upon Rehoboam. What his son needed more than wise sayings was the power of a godly life. This must ever accompany moral teaching: nay, it must go before it, for a child can receive impressions from a holy example before it is old enough to appreciate abstract teaching. A parents wise sayings will never do a child any good unless there are correspondent doings. A good example is the best education. Consider

II. How very much our joy and sorrow in this world depend upon our relationships. In proportion as the wise are related to the foolish or to the wise, will be their grief or their gladness. Distant relationships are not very effective in this way, but near relationships are powerful in proportion to their nearness. And the relation of parent to child is in some respects nearer than any othernearer, perhaps, even than that of husband and wife. Our children are a part of ourselves, and what they are makes or mars our lives. How much does that little pronoun my carry with it! To hear that any young man has disgraced his manhood and thrown away his opportunities is an occasion of sadness to us. This is increased if he is the son of anyone we have known and loved. But if good parents have to reflect that my son has become a reprobate, how bitter is their sorrow. But when the folly is not so great as this there may still be much heaviness in a parents heart. Wise and foolish are relative terms. A good fathers joy is proportionate to his sons goodness, for we understand wisdom and folly here to stand for the wisdom of godliness and the folly of sin, and a very little amount of wickedness will make a good mothers heart heavy. Let children then learn from this text to reflect how much power to give joy or sorrow rests with them, and to act accordingly; and let parents, considering how entirely their future happiness or misery will depend upon the character of their children, begin to train them, both by example and precept, from their tenderest years. (On this subject see also Homiletics on chap. Pro. 4:1-4.)

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

The future may be imperative. We prefer this view. Let a wise son make a glad father. If a man has a good son, let it be his one all-sufficient gratification. Men toil for their children, and give themselves pain in their behalf to an extent absolutely heroic, considering how they abnegate self, but to an extent altogether disproportioned, as between their temporal and eternal warfare. This is one way we destroy our children. If their temporal inheritance is threatened, we are all on thorns; but if they are doing well or ill in piety, we give it but little notice. The verb, therefore, as an imperative, means most. Let a foolish son be the grief of his mother, that is, an unconverted son. He may be all smiles and amiableness, and the fathers business may be doing well, but if he is a fool, spiritually, it should be his mothers grief. And then follow the reasons(For) treasures of wickedness profit nothing, etc.Miller.

Perhaps this first sentence may have been placed in the front to point to the value of a godly education in its personal, social, national influence, connected both with time and eternity.Bridges.

The father is specially said to be gladdened by a wise son as he is of a more severe nature, and not so likely to form a partial estimate, and therefore not so easily gladdened as the mother; so that it is the stronger praise of the wise son to say that not only the mother, but also the father, is gladdened by him. On the other hand, the mother is apt, through fondness, to ignore the errors of her son, and even to encourage them by indulgent connivance. The wise man admonishes her that she is laying up heaviness in store for herself.Fausset.

After the previous general description of Wisdom, Solomon begins with what is uppermost in his own mind, What would be the character of his successor? What would become of his throne, his wealth, his people, after himself? See his melancholy forebodings in Pro. 17:2-21; Pro. 17:25; Pro. 19:13; Ecc. 2:18, etc. Solomon has one son, and he is Rehoboam. This thought lies underneath many of the sayings in the Proverbs.Wordsworth.

Every son should be an Abner, that is, his fathers light, and every daughter an Abigail, her fathers joy. Eve promised herself much in her Cain, and David did the like in his Absalom. But they were both deceived. Samuel succeeds Eli in his cross, though not in his sin. Virtue is not, as lands, inheritable. Let parents labour to mend by education what they have marred by propagation.Trapp.

Do you hear this, young man? It is in your power to make your father glad, and God expects you to do it. Here is an object for your ambition, here is an investment that will ensure an immediate return. Come now, make your choice. Whether you will try to please these fools who banter you here, or to gladden your fathers heart that is yearning for you there? These companions that come between you and himwhat have they done for you, and what would they do for you to-morrow, if you were in distress? They have never lost a nights rest by watching at your sick bed, and never will. But your father what has he done, and yet will do? The command of God is that you gladden your father and not grieve him. Your conscience countersigns that command now. Obey.Arnot.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

CHAPTER 10
TEXT Pro. 10:1-11

The Proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son maketh a glad father;
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing;

But righteous delivereth from death.

Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish;

But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.

He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand;

But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son;

But he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

Blessings are upon the head of the righteous;

But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

The memory of the righteous is blessed;

But the name of the wicked shall rot.

The wise in heart will receive commandments;

But a prating fool shall fall.

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely;

But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

10.

He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow;

But a prating fool shall fall.

11.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life;

But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

STUDY QUESTIONS OVER 10:1-11

Why say, The proverbs of Solomon, here in the middle of the book (Pro. 10:1)?

Exemplify how wise children make glad parents (Pro. 10:1).

Exemplify how foolish children make sad parents (Pro. 10:1).

In what sense do treasures of wickedness profit nothing when many wicked are wealthy (Pro. 10:2)?

When does righteousness deliver one from death (Pro. 10:2)?

What does soul mean in Pro. 10:3?

What is a slack hand (Pro. 10:4)?

Why even bring hand into this verse (Pro. 10:4) that uses it twice?

Causeth shame to whom (Pro. 10:5)?

10.

Whose blessings are upon the righteous (Pro. 10:6)?

11.

How does violence cover the mouth of the wicked (Pro. 10:6)?

12.

What is the significance of the word rot here in Pro. 10:7?

13.

What does prating mean (Pro. 10:8)?

14.

List ways that one might pervert his ways and be found out (Pro. 10:9).

15.

In Pro. 10:10 what is wrong with winking?

16.

How can ones mouth be a fountain of life (Pro. 10:11)?

PARAPHRASE OF 10:1-11

These are the proverbs of Solomon. Happy is the man with a level-headed son; sad the mother of a rebel.

Ill-gotten gain brings no lasting happiness; right living does.

The Lord will not let a good man starve to death, nor will He let the wicked mans riches continue forever.

Lazy men are soon poor; hard workers get rich.

A wise youth makes hay while the sun shines, but what a shame to see a lad who sleeps away his hour of opportunity.

The good man is covered with blessings from head to foot, but an evil man inwardly curses his luck.

We all have happy memories of good men gone to their reward, but the names of wicked men stink after them.

The wise man is glad to be instructed, but a self-sufficient fool falls flat on his face.

A good man has firm footing, but a crook will slip and fall.

10.

Winking at sin leads to sorrow; bold reproof leads to peace.

11.

There is living truth in what a good man says, but the mouth of the evil man is filled with curses.

COMMENTS ON 10:1-11

Pro. 10:1 After 9 chapters in this book called Proverbs, arent you surprised to see the heading, The proverbs of Solomon, here? The explanation: a proverb is a wise saying. The first 9 chapters, while exalting and containing wisdom, are not sayings but are extended topical material. The actual sayings begin here and will continue through chapter 29. The message of the verse: What we do as sons can affect the happiness or the heaviness of our parents, both while under their roof and after we leave it. The Prodigal Son (Luk. 15:11-32) surely brought heavenliness upon his foolish departure and throughout his waywardness and indulgence, but he brought happiness upon his penitent return. Other passages containing the same truth: Pro. 15:20; Pro. 17:21; Pro. 17:25; Pro. 19:13; Pro. 29:3; Pro. 29:15. Thought for parents: The way you are now rearing your children will have much to do with your own future happiness or heaviness.

Pro. 10:2. Treasures of wickedness are riches gotten by wrong means. A Christian must follow only acceptable vocations: Eph. 4:28; marginal note on Tit. 3:8. Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice (Pro. 16:8). Other similar references: Pro. 11:4; Psa. 34:10; Psa. 37:25; Dan. 4:27. And yet communities and families are usually more proud of their rich than they are of their righteous!

Pro. 10:3. American Bible Union version: Jehovah will not let the spirit of the righteous famish; But he repels the longing of the wicked. God so blesses the righteous that they do not faint. Consider Davids praise of God in Psa. 23:1-6. And so states Paul in 2Co. 4:16. But equally so is Gods face against those who do evil (1Pe. 3:12).

Pro. 10:4. The proper result of shiftlessness is to have nothing. God has willed that if a person will not work, he should not have things to eat (2Th. 3:10). Some may become rich through crooked dealings, but others are prosperous through diligence. For similar material see Pro. 12:24; Pro. 13:4; Pro. 19:15; Pro. 21:5. In calling men to serve Him God has always called the busy people: Elisha plowing (1Ki. 19:19-21), fishermen working (Mat. 4:18-22), Matthew sitting at his place of toll (Mat. 9:9), and Saul of Tarsus busy persecuting (Act. 26:10-18).

Pro. 10:5. This is related in content to Pro. 10:4. Also to Pro. 10:1. In life our actions commend others or embarrass them.

Pro. 10:6. Clarke comments: As blessings shall be on the head of the just, so the violence of the wicked shall cover their face with shame and confusion. Their own violent dealings shall be visited upon them. Pro. 10:11 talks again of violence covering the mouth of the wicked.

Pro. 10:7. This verse speaks of the deceased. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance (Psa. 112:6). Their virtues are extolled (Act. 9:36-39). But the bad things that a wicked person did are remembered long after he is dead. His name rots (gets worse) because that is the only side of him seemingly remembered and passed onto others. While we may call our children Timothy, Matthew, and other good Bible characters names, yet we do not name them Cain, Ahab, or Jezebel.

Pro. 10:8. Jesus also likened the obedient to the wise (Mat. 7:26-27(. Webster on prate: To talk, especially much and to little purpose; to chatter. Thus Young translates a talkative fool. Diotrophes prated against the apostle John (3Jn. 1:10). Such will fall, sometimes as a consequence of his words even before he falls at the final judgment. Pro. 10:10 repeats the statement.

Pro. 10:9. Walks in integrity says Youngs Literal and Amplified. One who is walking in righteousness knows what he is doing, has assurance, and is safe. To pervert ones way is to divert it from what is right. One cannot do this without being found out, at least ultimately (dishonesty, adultery, embezzlement, etc.). Want to be known and noticed? Do wrong, and you will be. The righteous settle for walketh surely. Pro. 28:18 is a parallel passage.

Pro. 10:10. This ends the same as Pro. 10:8. Pulpit Commentary: Winking with the eye is a sign of craft, malice, and complicity with other wicked comrades. Study Pro. 6:12-14 also. The first statement shows that wrongdoing brings sorrow to others; the second shows that it brings destruction, to oneself.

Pro. 10:11. The blessings brought by the mouth of the righteous is set in contrast to the sorrow and destruction brought by the wicked in Pro. 10:10. Psa. 37:30 also speaks of the mouth of the righteous. People are helped by what good people say. This verse ends the same as Pro. 10:6.

TEST QUESTIONS OVER 10:1-11

What does a wise son make (Pro. 10:1)?

What does a foolish son make (Pro. 10:1)?

What was said about treasures of wickedness (Pro. 10:2)?

To what does a slack hand lead (Pro. 10:4)?

What was said about the hand of the diligent, (Pro. 10:4)?

What about the memory of the righteous (Pro. 10:7)?

What about the name of the wicked (Pro. 10:7)?

What does prating mean (Pro. 10:8)?

Comment on winking as used in Pro. 10:9.

10.

Of which are communities and families more proudof their rich or their righteous (Pro. 10:9)?

11.

Which spreads faster and farthernews of ones good deeds or bad deeds (Pro. 10:9)?

12.

Which verse did the Paraphrase help you with the most?

13.

Which verse did the Comments help you with the most?

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

3. A COLLECTION OF 375 SEPARATE VERSES ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, MARKED BY A NEW HEADING (Pro. 10:1 to Pro. 22:16).

(1) The proverbs of Solomon.The new title and different style of composition mark a new collection of proverbs. (See above, in the Introduction.) Each verse is distinct and complete in itself; but the collector appears to have endeavoured to throw together such as touched on the same subject. For instance, Pro. 10:4-5, show why one man fails and another succeeds; Pro. 10:6-7, how blessings and curses follow different persons. But the connection is sometimes so slight as to be difficult to catch.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Subheading.

Pro 10:1

‘The Proverbs of Solomon.’

Here we have the heading for this subsection. It is brief and to the point, for Solomon has already been more fully described in Pro 1:1. It will be noted that the proverbs that follow are two liners. This indicates that they are early rather than late. Later wisdom literature tended to use one liners. It was prior to the time of Solomon that in wisdom literature two liners were the norm. These can be of various types:

Sometimes the two lines contrast with each other. For example, ‘the mouth of the righteous is a wellspring of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence’ (Pro 10:11). These are the most common in chapters 10-15.

Sometimes the second line both contrasts with the first, and also extends it. For example, ‘behold the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner’ (Pro 11:31).

Sometimes the second line explains the first, for example, ‘as vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him’ (Pro 10:26).

Sometimes the two lines contain parallel thoughts. For example, ‘the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins lives’ (Pro 11:30).

Sometimes the second line carries forward the idea in the first, for example, ‘the blessing of YHWH, it makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it’ (Pro 10:22).

A large number of proverbs will be found to be of the first variety, especially in chapters 10-15. One common contrast found in these is between ‘the righteous’ and ‘the unrighteous’ (evildoers, those who do not follow the way of righteousness but wander off in byways, regularly thought of as ‘the wicked’ because they do what is wrong. In other words the word includes all who do not walk after God’s wisdom). Another common contrast is between ‘the wise’ and ‘the foolish’. But we must not be dogmatic about these contrasts for the righteous can also be contrasted with the foolish (Pro 10:21).

The proverbs are gathered into subsections indicated by chiasms, with proverbs in those subsections to some extent linking together. But there are also clear variations within those subsections. Part of Solomon’s appears to have been to ensure that readers received a broad sweep of wisdom continually as they went through the narrative, which would tend to be split up for reading purposes.

Solomon’s Proverbs.

It is perhaps significant that just as the Prologue began with an appeal to hear father and mother, ‘my son, hear the disciplinary instruction of your father, and do not forsake the torah (law, instruction) of your mother’ (Pro 1:8; compare also Pro 6:20), so this new subsection encourages obedience to father and mother, but now on the basis of family affection. It is a call to heed a godly father and mother, and be pleasing to them. It is also interesting that each of the first eight verses deals with a subject prominent in the Prologue, and this is something that is discovered again and again in the narrative. This adds further support to the idea that the Prologue and these proverbs all form one record from the beginning. These first eight verses form a chiasmus, something which in our view continues throughout Solomon’s proverbs.

Those Who Follow God’s Wisdom (The Wise) Bring Happiness To Their Parents Through Their Obedience And Experience Both Spiritual And Physical Blessing And Provision, Whilst The Foolish (Who Ignore God’s Wisdom) Cause Grief, Gain Nothing, And Are Rejected By God ( Pro 10:1-8 ).

In these opening proverbs we have a description of the benefits of righteousness and wisdom, and of the adverse effect of unrighteousness and folly. The wise son lives in an harmonious household (Pro 10:1), his righteousness delivers from death (Pro 10:2), the righteous will be satisfied both spiritually and physically (Pro 10:3), will become wealthy (Pro 10:4), will be blessed (Pro 10:6), and remembered (Pro 10:7), and will be obedient to those who are over them (Pro 10:8).

In contrast are the foolish and the unrighteous. The foolish son breaks his mother’s heart (Pro 10:1), his ill-gotten gains are finally of no profit (Pro 10:2), he is spurned by YHWH (Pro 10:3), he will become poor (Pro 10:4), he brings shame on his family (Pro 10:5), he will suffer violence (Pro 10:6), he will be forgotten (Pro 10:7), and he will be trodden down (Pro 10:8).

This can be presented chiastically as follows:

A A WISE son makes a glad father, but a FOOLISH son is a grief to his mother (Pro 10:1).

B Treasures of WICKEDNESS profit nothing, but RIGHTEOUSNESS delivers from death (Pro 10:2).

C YHWH will not allow the soul of the RIGHTEOUS to go hungry, but he thrusts away the craving of the WICKED (Pro 10:3).

D He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the hard worker makes rich (Pro 10:4).

D He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame (Pro 10:5).

C Blessings are on the head of the RIGHTEOUS, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the WICKED (Pro 10:6).

B The memory of the RIGHTEOUS is blessed, but the name of the WICKED decays (Pro 10:7).

A The WISE in heart will accept commands, but a loudmouthed FOOL (literally ‘a fool of lips’) will be trodden down (Pro 10:8).

It will be noted that in A the WISE son makes a glad father, and in the parallel the WISE in heart will accept commands (compare Pro 6:20 where the son is so to observe the command of his father). In B the treasures of WICKEDNESS profit nothing, while in the parallel the name of the WICKED decays (becomes worm-eaten). Furthermore RIGHTEOUSNESS delivers from death, whilst in the parallel the memory of the RIGHTEOUS is blessed. One horror of the Israelite was to die and be forgotten. In C YHWH will not allow the RIGHTEOUS to go hungry, whilst in the parallel there are blessings on the head of the RIGHTEOUS. Centrally in D working with a lazy hand parallels sleeping during harvest, whilst the hand of the hard worker parallels the one who gathers harvest at the due time.

Pro 10:1

‘A wise son makes a glad father,

But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.’

This proverb does not come in a vacuum. In the Prologue wisdom and folly have been regularly contrasted. Thus a ‘wise son’ is one who walks in the fear of YHWH (Pro 1:7; Pro 2:5; etc.) and in the wisdom of YHWH (Pro 2:2-6; Pro 3:21-22; Pro 4:5-9; etc.), and who increases in learning (Pro 1:5) and responds to the call to follow the way of wisdom as depicted in chapters 1-9. Such a son listens to his father and mother (Pro 1:8; Pro 6:20), and as a consequence of his obedience to YHWH his father is glad and rejoices. He is proud of him.

The foolish son on the other hand is like the fool or the naive one who goes astray, as depicted in chapters 1-9. He does not choose the fear of YHWH (Pro 1:29), he associates with greedy or perverse men (Pro 1:10-19; Pro 2:10-15) and with enticing and adulteress women (Pro 2:16-19; Pro 5:3-14; Pro 6:24-35; Pro 7:5-27; Pro 9:13-18). He breaks his mother’s heart (compare Pro 17:25 b). There is a sensitivity here which is moving (compare Pro 4:3 where the mother is seen as more emotionally involved than the father). It is the father who encourages him to walk positively, chastening him where necessary, and proud of his response. But it is the mother who feels most deeply when her son takes the wrong path. On the other hand the father may also be grieved (Pro 17:21; Pro 17:25 a), and the mother can also delight in her son (Pro 23:25).

The assumption is being made here that the father and mother are giving advice that can be trusted. And that can only because they do it in line with Solomon’s teaching concerning the wisdom of God, and its corollary in the Torah (the law of Moses). It is a reminder of how important good parenting is to children of all ages. A very similar proverb appears in Pro 15:20.

Pro 10:2

‘Treasures of unrighteousness (wrongdoing, ‘wickedness’) profit nothing,

But righteousness delivers from death.’

Note that the themes of the benefits of righteousness and of the consequences of unrighteousness (the word translated ‘wickedness’ is regularly indicating simply the opposite of righteousness), and of wealth gained or lost, continue on in the next few verses (3-6).

The connection with Pro 10:1 suggests that the wise and foolish sons are still in mind. Here the foolish son seeks for the ‘treasures of wickedness’, that is, if looked at physically, wealth obtained by false means and unpleasant activity (Pro 1:10-19). He prefers that to working hard (Pro 10:4-5). But we are to note that such treasures will not profit him in the end. He finally ends up with nothing. All he can expect is calamity (Pro 1:26-28; Pro 1:32 b) and death. Note that the proverb takes a long view, and sees the final working out of men’s attitudes and behaviour. Treasures obtained by unrighteousness can only lead to final loss, and this is so even if meanwhile they prosper men. Note the Psalmist’s perplexity in Psalms 73 where he could not understand why the wicked were prospering ‘until he considered their end’. The assumption made in many of these Proverbs is that there will in one way or another be such a final judgment on men.

In contrast the righteous son, through following wisdom and righteousness, will be delivered from death (Pro 1:18; Pro 1:32-33; Pro 2:18-19; etc.). For the path of righteousness is like the dawning light of day which grows ever brighter until it reaches its ultimate (Pro 4:18). Thus the righteousness which results from God’s wisdom (Pro 2:9-10; Pro 8:20) is better than earthly treasures (Pro 8:8-12; compare Pro 3:14-18), it consists of durable riches (Pro 8:18), whilst the assumption of his being delivered from death is that he will therefore enjoy a prosperous and fruitful life (Pro 3:16-18), which is God’s purpose for us all (Pro 8:14-16).

We must not, however, limit these words to the wise and foolish sons for the proverb is deliberately more generalised. It therefore applies to all. Thus any gains of any kind (whether physical or emotional) which result from unrighteousness will not benefit someone in the end, for their way leads to death (Pro 1:18; Pro 1:32; Pro 2:18; Pro 5:5; Pro 7:27; Pro 9:18 compare Psa 73:17). There will be a price to pay, because the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), and the pleasures of sin are only for a season (Heb 11:25). On the other hand all who walk in righteousness will be delivered from sin’s consequences. They will enjoy a full life (Pro 3:16-18; Pro 8:35; Pro 9:6; compare Pro 1:33; Pro 3:35) and end up in the presence of God (Psa 16:11; Psa 17:15). Whilst not spelled out the assumption is that somehow God will ensure that the righteous will come out of it well in the end.

Pro 10:3

‘YHWH will not allow the soul (inner life, appetite) of the righteous to go hungry,

But he thrusts away the craving of the wicked.’

Note how speedily YHWH, the covenant God of Israel, is brought into the equation. We learn immediately that the proverbs are valid and true because YHWH ensures their fulfilment, These word amplify Pro 10:2. The reason that righteousness delivers from death is because YHWH will not allow the inner life of the righteous to go hungry, to be famished. He will ensure that he enjoys a satisfying and fruitful life (Pro 3:16-18). He will satisfy his appetites. And this in contrast with the unrighteous, whose desires and cravings YHWH will ‘thrust away’. He pushes them from Him. He has no time for the cravings of wrongdoers which are for things displeasing to Him.

Note the significant point that the lives of the righteous follow wisdom (Pro 10:1). Indeed, the definition of the righteous man is that he responds to wisdom and seeks to live in accordance with it. In contrast are the lives of evildoers which are ruled by covetousness and desire. For the cravings of the latter include seeking the treasures of wickedness (unrighteousness – Pro 10:2); greed for gain (Pro 1:13); following men of a perverse heart and mouth who rejoice to do what is not right (Pro 2:12-15); and responding to the enticements of adulterous women (Pro 2:16-19; Pro 5:3-14; Pro 6:24-35; Pro 7:5-27; Pro 9:13-18).

This thought then leads on to YHWH also satisfying the needs of the bodies of the righteous This is dealt with in this next verse.

Pro 10:4

‘He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,

But the hand of the hard worker makes rich.’

Men seek ‘the treasures of unrighteousness’, treasures obtained through theft, fraud, dishonesty and violence, because it is the easy way, and they are lazy. For otherwise laziness leads to poverty. This proverb is vividly illustrated in Pro 6:6-11. The dilatory worker will never be wealthy except by unjust gain. In contrast the hard worker does become relatively wealthy. And he also experiences richness of heart.

Pro 10:5

‘He who gathers in summer is a wise son,

But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.’

The ‘wise son’ was spoken of in Pro 10:1. And one of the things that he does is to take advantage of the seasons in order to harvest products at the right time, so that he obtains the maximum benefit. He plans his time wisely, making the most of the opportunity. On the other hand the foolish son sleeps during harvest time. He is lazy, and the opportunity passes him by. Compare again Pro 6:6-11.

In other words we should take advantage when times are good, filling our barns, (or making our savings), so that if less prosperous days come on us we have sufficient for our needs. The lazy person does not do this. He prefers to sleep and hope for the best. ‘A little slumber, and a little sleep’ and poverty and want will creep up on him like a thief (Pro 6:10-11).

Notice the consequence in each case. The wise son earns the commendation of everyone. His barns are full and he is content, and admired by his neighbours who respect both him, and his parents who reared him. His neighbours nod their heads and say ‘they have a wise son’. This continues the theme of Pro 10:1 where the father’s heart was made glad. In contrast the foolish son can only look at his half empty barns and be filled with shame, and bring shame on his father and mother. All their neighbours look at them and shake their heads, saying secretly to one another under their breaths, ‘they should have brought him up properly’.

Pro 10:6

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

But extreme behaviour (e.g. violence by action or words) overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

The satisfying of the inner life of the righteous (Pro 10:3) is necessarily a consequence of blessings coming from YHWH as now described. But blessings in Scripture are not just happy wishes, they have a potency given to them by God. They assume the activity of YHWH in bringing about their fulfilment. And through Him they impart potency to the recipient. Here they are seen to come on the head of the righteous, those who do what is right before God. They include spiritual, mental and physical blessings. These include the blessings within the inner man referred to in Pro 10:3, and the blessings in Pro 10:4-5 which are physical blessings, All these blessings have to be appropriated by response. In contrast, however, are those who do not receive such blessings. In Pro 10:3 it is because their cravings are wrong, here it is because they are so involved in the ‘extreme behaviour’, including actual physical violence, which is fed by those cravings. Alternately it may indicate that instead of receiving blessings from YHWH they will receive violence. Thus the ‘violence, extreme behaviour’ could both issue from them as it takes possession of their mouths and come on them as they are overwhelmed by it.

This proverb is illustrated in Pro 1:9-19. The righteous, who listen to their godly fathers and mothers, will receive a floral wreath on their heads, symbolic of joy and happiness (Pro 1:9; compare Pro 4:9). They will be showered with blessings. They will receive abundant life (Pro 3:16-18; Pro 8:35; Pro 9:6; compare Pro 1:33; Pro 3:35). In contrast the mouth of the unrighteous is filled with talk of violence (Pro 1:11-14). Their evil intentions overwhelm their mouths. They reveal what they are by what they say. And so with perverted heart they devise evil, which comes out in their continually sowing discord (Pro 6:14; Pro 6:19). But their violence will rebound upon them (Pro 1:18-19). We can compare Pro 3:33 where YHWH blesses the habitation of the righteous, but the curse of YHWH is in the house of the unrighteous (evildoers, the ‘wicked’).

Pro 10:7

‘The memory of the righteous is blessed,

But the name of the wicked decays (becomes worm eaten).’

The consequence of a righteous man being blessed will be that when he dies, his memory too will be blessed. His life will have produced fruit among all who know him, and he will be long remembered with gratitude. He will be held in honour. Compare Psa 112:6, ‘the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance’. The memory of them will live on for ever. The dread of every Israelite was that he would die and his name be forgotten, that memory of him would cease to exist. That was why they kept genealogies and were desperate to maintain the family name. In contrast is the name of the wrongdoer. His name will gradually decay and be forgotten. It will be worm-eaten. No one will remember him for long. All that will remain will be a forgotten grave containing a decaying, worm-eaten body.

Pro 10:8

‘The wise in heart will accept commands,

But a loudmouthed fool (literally ‘a fool of lips’) will trip up (fall).’

The final proverb in this group takes up the ideas in Pro 10:1. The wise in heart will be a joy to their fathers because they receive and follow his commandments (compare Pro 6:20). They walk in the way of wisdom. That indeed is what demonstrates that they are wise ‘in heart’ (in their minds, wills and emotions). In contrast is the scorner, here called a loudmouthed fool, who refuses to heed those commandments (compare Pro 9:7-12). He is here described as a ‘fool of lips’, a loudmouthed fool who mockingly rejects the teaching of his father and mother, and can only bring grief to them. The misuse of the mouth or tongue is a regular way of describing wrongdoers (e.g. Pro 2:12; Pro 4:24; Pro 8:13). Indeed, a wayward mouth was the sign of the ‘worthless man’ (Pro 6:12 b, 17 a, 10). But in the end such a man will ‘trip up’. For as he goes on his way with his proud boasting, he will inevitably continually stumble and fall, because he has nothing which guides him in the right way. And one day he will fall, never to rise again.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Proverbs Of Solomon ( Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16 ).

The proverbs in this section are now introduced by the brief subheading ‘The Proverbs Of Solomon’. Contrast ‘The sayings of Solomon, the Son of David, the King of Israel’ in Pro 1:1. The details given there do not need to be repeated because this is a subheadng, not a main heading. This is in line with comparable wisdom literature going back far beyond the time of Solomon

What follows in Pro 10:1 onwards is somewhat deceptive. Without careful study it can appear to contain simply a string of proverbs with no direct connection to each other. But closer examination soon reveals otherwise. Solomon has rather taken his vast knowledge of wisdom literature, and put together a series of sayings which gel together and give consecutive teaching.

Various attempts have been made to divide up this material, but none of them have been fully successful as the basis of construction and the dividing lines are not always clear. They tend to be somewhat subjective. But that some thought has gone into the presentation of the material is apparent by the way in which topics and ideas are grouped together. Consider for example Pro 10:2-5 which are based on the idea of riches and men’s cravings, whilst Pro 10:18-21 are all based on the lips or the tongue. On the whole, however, the basis of the presentation overall is tentative, for up until Pro 22:17 we do not have any clear introductory words which can help us to divide the text up.

What is certain is that we are not simply to see this as just a number of proverbs jumbled together with no connection whatsoever. And in our view Solomon made this clear by using the well known method (previously used by Moses in Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) of dividing up the text by means of chiasms as we have illustrated. Ancient Hebrew was written in one continuing steam of letters with no gaps to distinguish words, and no punctuation. This was not quite as confusing as it sounds for words and word endings followed definite patterns which were mainly distinguishable. But the only way of dividing it up into paragraphs was either by the way of material content, or by the use of chiasms (presenting the material in an A B C D D C B A pattern). In our view this latter method was used by Solomon in this section as we hope we have demonstrated..

The proverbs which follow are designed to give a wide coverage of wisdom and instruction, and as we study them we will receive guidance in different spheres. For this is the wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and instruction that Solomon has been speaking of in the Prologue. It is a revelation of ‘the fear of YHWH and the knowledge of God’ (Pro 2:5).

It will be noted at once that Solomon immediately expects us to be able to differentiate ‘the righteous’ from the ‘unrighteous’ (or ‘wicked’), and the wise from the ‘foolish’. This confirms that the righteous and the wise are in his eyes identifiable, and in Israel that would be because they walked in accordance with the covenant, the ‘Law of Moses’, as well as in the ways of wisdom. Thus wisdom does not exclude the Law, nor does it supersede it. It embraces it, although mainly from a non-ritualistic standpoint (consider, however, Pro 3:9-10; Pro 7:14; Pro 15:8; Pro 17:1; Pro 21:3; Pro 21:27). For it sees it from a less legalistic attitude, and encourages a broad view of life.

We must, however, recognise that ‘wicked’ does not mean ‘totally evil’ and that ‘foolish’ does not mean ‘stupid’. The wicked are those who come short of righteousness (the term regularly contrasts with the righteous). Basically they live disregarding God’s requirements in some aspect of their lives. They may appear solid citizens, but in parts of their lives they pay no heed to God. This might come out in false business practises, or in deceit, or in lack of love for others, or in selfishness, as being part of their way of life. That is why we often speak of ‘the unrighteous’ rather than of ‘the wicked’.

In the same way the ‘foolish’ are called foolish because they set aside God’s ways in the way in which they live their lives. They may be astute, clever and full of common sense, but they are ‘foolish’ because they disregard YHWH. (‘The fool has said in his heart, “there is no God” (Psa 14:1) even though he might give an outward impression of being religious).

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

A Collection Of Solomon’s Proverbs ( Pro 10:1 to Pro 29:27 ).

Solomon’s presentation of The Book of Proverbs has followed the pattern of much Wisdom literature. This commenced with the initial heading detailing the details of the author and his purpose in writing (Pro 1:1-7), continued with a Prologue which laid the foundation for what was to follow (Pro 1:8 to Pro 9:18), and was then followed by the body of the work introduced by one or more subheadings. In Solomon’s case this main body comprises Pro 10:1 to Pro 29:27. It is usually divided up into four parts:

1) Proverbs of Solomon (Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16), introduced by a subheading ‘The Proverbs Of Solomon’. This may possibly be divided into two sections, Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:21, and Pro 15:22 to Pro 22:16.

2) Words of the Wise (Pro 22:17 to Pro 24:22), introduced by an exhortation to hear the words of the wise. This is in a form comparable with exhortations in the Prologue, but there is no subheading in the text as we have it. It may rather therefore be seen as a third section of The Proverbs of Solomon, but with unusual characteristics.

3) Further Sayings of the Wise (Pro 24:23-34), introduced by the subheading, ‘these also are of the wise’.

4) Proverbs of Solomon copied out by the ‘Men of Hezekiah, King of Judah’ (Pro 25:1 to Pro 29:27), introduced by a specific heading.

The inclusion of the words of the wise within two sets of proverbs of Solomon, the first time without a subheading, suggests that we are to see the words of the wise and the sayings of the wise as also from Solomon, but based in each case more specifically on collections of Wisdom sayings known to him, which he himself, or his Scribes, had taken and altered up in order to conform them to his requirements thus making them finally his work. That does not necessarily mean that his proverbs in section 1 (Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16) were not based on other material. He would have obtained his material from many sources. But once again we are to see them as presented after alteration by his hand.

We should note, for example, the continual references to YHWH that occur throughout the text. Whatever material Solomon may have appropriated, he refashioned it in order to make it the wisdom of the God of Israel, of YHWH their covenant God. This approach of taking what was written by others and refashioning it, while at the same time introducing further ideas of his own, may be seen as following the pattern of modern scholars, each of whom takes the works of others, and then reinterprets them in his own words, whilst adding to them on the basis of his own thinking. The final product is then seen as their own thinking, aided by others. The only difference is that Solomon would have been far more willing to copy down word for word what others had said and written without giving acknowledgement.

Having said that we must not assume that Solomon simply copied them down unthinkingly. As the Prologue has made clear, he did not see himself as presenting some general form of Wisdom teaching. He saw what he wrote down as given by YHWH, and as being in the words of YHWH (Pro 2:6). And he saw it as based on YHWH’s eternal wisdom, His wisdom which had also been involved in the creation of heaven and earth (Pro 3:19-20; Pro 8:22-31). Thus he wants us to recognise that what now follows is not a series of general wisdom statements, but is a miscellany revealing the wisdom of YHWH, the wisdom that leads men into the paths of life.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Introduction Pro 10:1 serves as an introduction to Solomon’s first collection of proverbs (Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16). Figuratively, this verse symbolizes the sending out of the young man into his spiritual journey in life, having answered the call to pursue divine wisdom.

Pro 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Pro 10:1 “The proverbs of Solomon” – Comments – This superscription, or title, appears in the opening of the book. As Solomon has written the first nine chapters as an introduction to prepare the reader to receive his words of wisdom, he now provides a title for the beginning of these words of wisdom.

Pro 1:1, “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;”

Note also:

Pro 25:1, “These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.”

Pro 10:1 “A wise son maketh a glad father” Word Study on “glad” – Strong says the Hebrew word “glad” ( ) (H8055) is a primitive root that means, “ to brighten up,” thus, “to be blithe, or gleesome.” The Enhanced Strong says it is used 152 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, “ rejoice 95, glad 45, joy 5, joyful 2, merry 2, misc. 3.”

Scripture Reference – Note similar verses on this subject in the book of Proverbs, where a son makes his parents glad:

Pro 15:20, “A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.”

Pro 23:15-16, “My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.”

Pro 23:24-25, “The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.”

Pro 29:3, “Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.”

Pro 10:1 “but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother” Word Study on “heaviness” – Strong says the Hebrew word “heaviness” ( ) (H8424) means, “depression, grief.” The Enhanced Strong says it is used four times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, “ heaviness 3, sorrow 1.”

Scripture Reference – Note similar proverbs on this subject in the book of Proverbs, where a son grieves his parents:

Pro 17:21, “He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.”

Pro 17:25, “A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.”

Pro 19:13, “A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.”

Pro 29:15, “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”

Pro 10:1 Comments – In God’s eyes, wisdom begins in the home. According to the Mosaic Law, the Jewish parents were required to train up their children in the ways of God.

Deu 4:10, “Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children .”

Deu 6:7, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children , and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

Deu 11:19, “And ye shall teach them your children , speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

Those who failed to follow God’s divine laws reaped the consequences. One of the effects of negligence to the Law was to have the children go astray in rebellion and foolishness. Therefore, if parents give their children a nice home, a good education, but neglect to teach them the fear of God, they have raised a fool. The comfort of parents in their later years will depend largely upon their children’s relationship to God.

The entire book of Proverbs will be spent contrasting the wise man with the fool. The fool is not someone who is mentally deficient, but rather a person whose heart is rebellious towards the things of God. For example, in Luk 12:16-20, the rich man was intelligent enough to gather great wealth, but in God eyes, he was considered a fool.

A young child instinctively tries to please his parents. This gives the parents the advantage of being able to train the children in the way that they chose. There will come a time when the children are grown up and have to make independent decisions. But God placed within a child the instinct to please the parents in these early years of learning.

When a young man, or a woman, first leaves home, they carry these close relationships of their parents with them. When we begin a journey on the path of wisdom as young adults, it requires that we leave home to become what God has called us to be. On this new and exciting venture in life, we will instinctively look by to our training at home and try to please our parents, as we have done so while living under their authority as children.

So naturally, the first proverb in this book deals with the issue of pleasing the parents. This is the characteristic of a child’s earliest behavior. The longing for home, with much homesickness, is the first experience of a young person’s journey away from home.

I can see the young man’s father giving his last words to his son, as he sends him off to college. He says, “Son, remember the wisdom that I have taught you and make me a proud father. And remember, do not grieve your mother by doing foolish thing.”

Every parent wants to see his child succeed. This is what makes his heart glad. Wise parents learn to guide their children safely along life’s journey, knowing each child is uniquely gifted with a purpose and divine destiny. It is difficult enough for a person to fulfill his life’s destiny, but almost impossible without parental support.

Why does Pro 10:1 separate the joy and heaviness between a father and a mother? Do not both parents suffer when their child makes the wrong decisions? Sadly, in many homes where only one parent is born-again, the training of righteousness becomes the job of the godly parent, while the ungodly parent neglects this responsibility. Thus, in this household, it is primarily the godly parent that either rejoices or grieves with the child and not both parents together.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Many commentators say that the individual proverbs in this book of the Holy Bible lack order; but, God is a God of order (1Co 14:40), as we are about to see.

1Co 14:40, “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Even the book of Proverbs has an order. This order is patterned like our lives. When we go through our day, it may appear to be a series of random events with no particular order; but the Scriptures tell us that a righteous man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. Our day is ordered by the Lord (Psa 37:23) and we are to find His purpose in each day by seeking His face. The proverbs are organized in just such a way as we live our lives.

Psa 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”

The Lord will bring certain events into our lives to test us in order to train us and prepare us for future events that are on this journey.

When a young man first leaves home, his thoughts are on pleasing his parents (Pro 10:1). Pro 10:2-3 deal with material possessions. A young man’s initial instinct as he journeys from home is to provide for himself. He is determined to survive, and to no longer depend upon his parents for support. Therefore, he quickly sees the wealth of the sinner as he struggles to make it on his own (Pro 10:2); but, he must remember that God will provide for His children (Pro 10:3).

Pro 10:4-5 deal with the physical body. The young man is taught that material provisions come through hard work and not through laziness (Pro 10:4), but wise planning must be used as the earnings of his labour produce wealth (Pro 10:5).

Pro 10:6-7 deal with the character of a person. We see the blessings and honour that come from a noble character, and the curses of the wicked. The young man sees that there is a greater value beyond material prosperity, and that is a good name. This good name comes only to those of a noble character. This section is about the soul, the mind, the will and the emotions of a man, which produce this noble character.

Pro 10:8-9 deal with the heart of man. A noble character is developed in a person who has a heart that receives commandments (Pro 10:8). There is much security in walking upright before God and man (Pro 10:9).

Therefore, we see in Pro 10:2-9 that the order of discussion is on finances (2-3), the body (4-5), the soul (6-7) and the spirit of man (8-9). In contrast, Pro 3:3-12 has listed these same four topics in reverse order, first the heart, then the soul, the body and finances. We see this order also followed in 1Th 5:23.

1Th 5:23, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Why is this order reversed in the passage of Pro 10:2-9? Perhaps because this is the order in which the young man perceives them in his initial quest for a meaning in life.

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. Introduction Pro 10:1

2. Finances Pro 10:2-3

3. The Physical Body Pro 10:4-5

4. The Mind of Man Pro 10:6-7

5. The Heart of Man Pro 10:8-9

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Justification: Solomon’s First Collection of Proverbs (Antithetic Proverbs Wisdom verses Foolishness) – The proverbs contained in chapters 10 through 15 are located within Solomon’s First Collection of Proverbs. Almost all of these proverbs are similar in that they contrast the wise man with the fool, or good versus evil. [77] This means that in every decision we make in life, we either make a wise decision or a foolish one, a good one or a bad one. It will either bring us into a position of right standing with God, or separate us from God. There is no way to straddle the fence in making decisions. Thus, the primary theme of this passage in Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33 is our justification before God. On our spiritual journey in life, we can most closely compare it to our justification through Jesus Christ our Lord. In other words, this group of proverbs provides a definition of true righteousness before God in the same way that the Sermon on the Mount expounds upon righteousness before God.

[77] Graeme Goldsworthy also suggests that the contrast of righteousness with wickedness is being emphasized in this section when he says, “ Proverbs 10 is a collection of sayings that mainly contrast wise and foolish behavior or, alternatively, righteous and wicked behavior. It would appear that these two pairs of opposites are synonymous. There is a cumulative effect to this chapter that works on the assumption of the character of God as the basis of assessing what is wise and righteous.” See Graeme Goldsworthy, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture (Michigan: Eerdmans, 2000), 189.

Also woven within Pro 10:1 through Pro 15:33 we can see smaller groups of proverbs that have been collected together with similar themes. It is important to note that not all of the proverbs within a collection listed above are about the same theme. This is because each day that the Lord guides us, he gives us a variety of wisdom on our place. We do not receive a one-course meal, although we are going through a season of learning a lesson on a particular subject.

Within this passage we see four major topics, which are long life (Pro 10:27), riches (Pro 13:13), abundant life (Pro 14:26-27) and honor (Pro 15:33). Thus, we see a reference to the heart, soul, body and finances of man. These topics will later be summarized in Pro 22:4, as this learning phase of the journey comes to an end. Thus, the secondary theme of this passage of Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33 is how wisdom and foolishness is reflected in the four-fold aspect of a man’s life.

Pro 22:4, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.”

Also woven within Pro 10:2 through Pro 15:33 we can see smaller groups of proverbs that have been collected together with similar themes. These proverbs are groups by the same four-fold themes running throughout the book of Proverbs, which are the themes of the heart, of the tongue, of the labour of the body and of wealth. For example,

Pro 10:1-9 Let your heart guide you

Pro 10:10-32 The Tongue

Pro 10:27 to Pro 11:22 Long life

Pro 11:24-31 Wealth gained by sowing and reaping

Pro 12:1-12 The Righteous heart

Pro 12:13 to Pro 13:5 The Righteous tongue

Pro 12:24 to Pro 13:4 – Diligence

Pro 13:1-25 Wealth gained by a righteous heart, guarding the tongue and diligence in work

Pro 14:1-35 – The Mind – Understanding must guide our decisions

Pro 15:1-33 A Merry Heart

It is important to note that not all of the proverbs within a collection are about the same theme. For example, we will find a proverb about our mental, physical or financial wellbeing mingled within a group of verses that deals with our spiritual wellbeing. This is because each day that the Lord guides us, he gives us a variety of wisdom on our place. We do not receive a one-course meal, although we are going through a season of learning a lesson on a particular subject. Thus, wisdom offers us wine that is “mingled” as described in Pro 9:2.

Notes that these sections breaks are not distinct in that they overlap one another. This overlap represents the aspect of man’s spiritual journey in which God takes man through phases of learning that overlap.

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. Let your heart guide you Pro 10:1-9

2. The Tongue Pro 10:10-32

3. Long life Pro 10:27 to Pro 11:22

4. Wealth gained by sowing and reaping Pro 11:24-31

5. The Righteous heart Pro 12:1-12

6. The Righteous tongue Pro 12:13 to Pro 13:5

7. Diligence Pro 12:24 to Pro 13:4

8. Wealth by a right heart, guarded the tongue, & diligent work Pro 13:1-25

9. The Mind – Understanding must guide our decisions Pro 14:1-35

10. A Merry Heart Pro 15:1-33

Signposts – Woven within the themes of this passage are signposts that help us to identify these themes. On this part of the journey, we find four main signposts:

Pro 10:27, “ The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.”

Pro 13:13, “Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”

Pro 14:27, “ The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”

Pro 15:33, “ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”

These four signposts tell us that the fear of the Lord will give to us. Perhaps they refer to the four aspects of our wellbeing.

1. A long life (Pro 10:27) Our physical wellbeing

2. A reward (Pro 13:13) Our financial wellbeing

3. A fountain of life (Pro 14:27) Our spiritual wellbeing

4. Instruction and Honour (Pro 15:33) Our mental wellbeing

We know that we will receive these blessings if we follow the path of wisdom (see Pro 3:2).

Pro 3:2, “For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.”

We can see that a long life refers to the body, a reward refers to prosperity, a fountain of life refers to abundant life in our hearts, and instruction and honour reflects the character of a man, which is revealed in his mind, will and emotions. Thus, this passage of Scripture deals again with the spirit, soul, body and finances in our lives.

Pro 10:10-21 deals primarily with the tongue. Of the 12 verses in this passage, 8 deal directly with the words of our mouth. This is because our words set in motion the course of our lives.

First Signpost – Pro 10:24 to Pro 11:22 deals primarily with the theme of living a long life. Of these 33 verses, 18 of them deal directly with the issue of living a long life, or being cut off (see Pro 10:25; Pro 10:27-30; Pro 11:3-9; Pro 11:11; Pro 11:14-15; Pro 11:17; Pro 11:19; Pro 11:21). Thus, the signpost that summarizes the theme of this passage is found in Pro 10:27, which theme is to follow the path of wisdom, and we will live a long life on this earth. Note:

Pro 10:27, “The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.”

This signpost is planted within a passage of Scriptures that deals with the longevity of the righteous verses the brevity of the wicked (Pro 10:24 thru Pro 11:22). Thus, this verse promises long life to those who fear the Lord.

Pro 11:23-31 deals entirely with the issue of sowing and reaping. All nine verses clearly address this subject.

Second Signpost – A second signpost within this passage is found in Pro 13:13.

Pro 13:13, “Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”

This signpost is placed within a group of verses (Pro 13:1-25) that deal largely with the issue of prosperity and financial blessings from the Lord. Thus, the signpost that summarizes the theme of this passage is found in Pro 13:13, which theme is to follow the path of wisdom, and we will be rewarded with prosperity from the Lord.

Third Signpost – In Pro 14:26-27, we see a signpost that refers to an abundant life. These two verses are placed within a group of proverbs that deal with the heart of a man.

Fourth Signpost – We see another signpost in Pro 15:33.

Pro 15:33, “ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”

Instruction and honor emphasize the mind of a man. This verse is found within a group of verses that place emphasis upon man’s mind. However, this closing verse also identifies the underlying theme of Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33. Pro 15:33 says that the fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom. In Pro 1:7; Pro 9:10, we were told that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is because the first nine chapters are a preparation, or beginning, of the journey. But here in Pro 15:33, we are in a phase of the journey called “the instruction of wisdom”. We have been learning to identify the wise man and the fool under the instruction of these one-verse contrasts between these two people. Let me give a clear illustration. When my oldest daughter would sit on my lap, we would sometimes to Bible studies together. At the age of four, she began to ask me simple questions. “Daddy, is this person bad or good?” I would reply, “David was good, and Goliath was bad; the prophet Samuel was good, but King Saul was bad.” I would then explain, “Samuel was good because he obeyed God; Saul was bad because he tried to kill David.” This became my child’s first lesson about the wise man verses the fool. It is in this same pattern that God first teaches us how to identify the wise man and the fool as we journey through Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Justification: Solomon’s First Collection (375 Sayings) [75] – The first nine chapters of the book of Proverbs serve as an introductory call from wisdom. In this introduction, we are exhorted to hear wisdom’s cry (chapter 1), and we are told how to find wisdom by putting it first in our lives (chapter 2). We are told of the blessings of finding wisdom (chapter 3) in contrast to the dangers of hearkening unto the call of the wicked and the harlot. We are shown how wisdom transforms our lives by learning the three paths of wisdom for the heart, mind and body of man (chapter 4). This is contrasted with three paths of destruction (chapters 5-6). We are shown the characteristics of the wicked man and the adulterous woman (chapters 6-7). Then, we are shown the excellence of wisdom and its characteristics (chapter 8). In conclusion, we have an invitation from wisdom to take food for the journey, with a choice to eat the stolen bread of the adulteress (chapter 9). The better we are able to understand the introduction of Proverbs, the better we will be able to understand its teachings in the rest of the book.

[75] Sailhamer says that there are 375 proverbs in Solomon’s First Collection (10:1 to 22:16), which equals the numerical value of Solomon’s Hebrew name. In addition, he says there are 611 laws listed in the Pentateuch, which equals the numerical value of the Hebrew word “Torah” ( ). He adds that the laws listed in the “Covenant Codes” (Exodus 21:1-23:12) are 42 (7 x 6), which was in intentional multiple of seven. His point is that such numerical coincidences reflect deliberate composition by the ancient Jewish scribes, and concludes that the laws, as well as the statutes, were not intended to be exhaustive. See John H. Sailhamer, Introduction to Old Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, c1995), 257.

Once we have chosen the path of wisdom, we are ready to continue on in the book of Proverbs. The next section of this book Isa 10:1 thru Pro 22:16. This is referred to as Solomon’s First Collection. This section is characterized by the fact that each verse contains individual truths that stand alone. They are practical truths that form a couplet. In chapter 10, we are given the choice to answer wisdom’s call to follow her by either obeying her words, or by disobeying her words and becoming the fool.

We now leave our preparation, which is compared to leaving our home and our parents. We now take a path on the journey of life. However, a quick observation of the following chapters shows us a list of randomly collected proverbs, which have no apparent relationship to one another, unlike the first nine chapters. However, if we look carefully, we will see signposts along this path of life. The introduction of chapters 1-9 began and ended with signposts. These signposts are found in Pro 1:7; Pro 9:10.

Pro 1:7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Pro 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

The fear of the Lord will be our signpost throughout the book of Proverbs. The first nine chapters are an introduction, or beginning, to this path of life. This is why these first two signposts use the phrase, “beginning of knowledge and wisdom.”

If there is a beginning, then there is a journey; and if a journey, then a destination. These signposts will take us to our destination, which is to become like our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus, or we could say to walk in the fullness of Christ. We will liken this journey to John Bunyan’s book Pilgrim’s Progress, where the character named Christian made his way to the Eternal City. [76] Just as Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegorical story of a person’s journey to Heaven, so is the book of Proverbs a proverbial journey to Heaven.

[76] George Offor, ed., The Works of John Bunyan, 3 vols. (Edinburgh: Blackie and Son, 1855).

Now, let us look for other signposts as we launch out on this journey in life. Note that the phrase “the fear of the Lord” is used throughout the book of Proverbs:

Pro 10:27, “ The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.”

Pro 13:13, “Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”

Pro 14:2, “He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD : but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.”

Pro 14:16, “ A wise man feareth , and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.”

Pro 14:26, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”

Pro 14:27, “ The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”

Pro 15:16, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”

Pro 15:33, “ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”

Pro 16:6, “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”

Pro 19:23, “ The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.”

Pro 22:4, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.”

Pro 23:17, “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.”

Pro 24:21, “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:”

Pro 28:14, “Happy is the man that feareth alway : but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.”

Pro 31:30, “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD , she shall be praised.”

Each of these signposts has been planted within a group of proverbs that emphasizes the subject related to that particular signpost. For example, Pro 10:27 tells us that the fear of the Lord gives us a long life. This proverb has been placed within a group of verses that largely deal with a long life (Pro 10:24 to Pro 11:22). Thus, we can ask ourselves if we are walking in these blessings of long life, or in a life of problems. If our life is blessed in this way, we are on the journey. However, if we find problems in our life that are not in God’s plan for us, then we have strayed off the path.

Pro 13:13 tells us of the rewards of fearing the Lord. This proverb is placed within a group of verses that refer to prosperity. Thus, we must check our life to see if the blessing of prosperity is operating in our life.

Pro 22:4 reminds us of the many blessings of wisdom, which are given in chapter 3. Thus, we can know while we are on the journey if we are still on the path of wisdom. We know this because the blessings of wisdom will be seen in our lives. If we find the curses in our lives, then we know that we have erred from the path of wisdom. This is how these signposts keep us on the right path.

These signposts symbolize the way in which the Lord guides our lives; for it is by the fear of the Lord that we make the decision to follow the path of wisdom. Without this fear, we may know the right decision, but as Solomon, we would err from the journey by failing to adhere to wisdom.

On a daily basis God will give us enough light for our daily needs. This can be called our “daily bread” (Mat 6:11).

Mat 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

This daily bread gives us enough light to guide our short steps. But there are certain times when the Lord will intervene in our life and show us enough light to see farther down the path. When we face major decisions or changes in our life, God will often speak to us or reveal Himself to us in a supernatural way and show us the right path. During these times, we are able to look back and look ahead and see a bigger picture of God’s plan for our lives. This is the way that God guided Jacob on special occasions, and this is the way that I have experienced the Lord’s guidance during major changes in my life. We can see this two-fold method of guidance in Psa 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” The book of Proverbs symbolizes these occasions by planting signposts along the journey.

There are also warning signs along this journey. These warning signs symbolize those times when God gives us correction and discipline in order to keep us from straying from the path of life. As on a public highway, we must learn to heed the warning signs that tell us of dangers ahead, as well as the information signs that tell us where we are located. These signposts are warnings that tell us not to seek the richest, not to pursue the honor, or to pamper the flesh. Instead, we are to pursue the virtues, and not the blessings that come from these virtues. Some examples of these warnings are:

Pro 11:28, “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.”

Pro 13:11, “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.”

Pro 18:12, “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.”

Pro 23:5, “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

Pro 29:23, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

Wisdom cries out in the busiest places in society. She cries out in the crowded streets. She lifts up her voice in the major places where people meet and in the gates of the city. This is because wisdom speaks through other people. It speaks through situations around you. Life itself becomes a classroom, and wisdom in the teacher. Thus, in the book of Proverbs, we are shown different types of people in order to learn divine wisdom. Listen, and you will hear.

Regarding the hundreds of individual proverbs that we encounter on this path, there appears to be no organized manner in which they are presented us. This is because in the journey of life, our encounters with the wise man and the fool appear to come in the same random order.

When we look at Pro 10:1 thru Pro 15:33, we see a similarity in all of these proverbs. They all give us a one-verse contrast between the wise man and the fool. This means that in every decision we make in life, we either make a wise decision, or a foolish one. There is no way to straddle the fence in making decisions. Then we see a signpost in Pro 15:33.

Pro 15:33, “ The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”

This verse says that the fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom. In Pro 1:7; Pro 9:10, we are told that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is because the first nine chapters are a preparation, or beginning, of the journey. But here in Pro 15:33, we are in a phase of the journey called “the instruction of wisdom”. We have been learning to identify the wise man and the fool under the instruction of these one-verse contrasts between these two people. Let me give a clear illustration. When my oldest daughter would sit on my lap, we would sometimes to Bible studies together. At the age of four, she began to ask me simple questions. “Daddy, is this person bad or good.” I would reply, “David was good, and Goliath was bad. The prophet Samuel was good, but King Saul was bad.” I would then explain, “Samuel was good because he obeyed God. Saul was bad because he tried to kill David.” This became my child’s first lesson about the wise man verses the fool. It is in this same pattern that God first teaches us how to identify the wise man and the fool as we journey through Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33.

There are other signposts within this lengthy passage of Pro 10:1 thru Pro 15:33. One signpost is found in Pro 10:27.

Pro 10:27, “The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.”

A second signpost within Pro 10:1 thru Pro 15:33 is found in Pro 13:13.

Pro 13:13, “Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”

This signpost is placed within a group of verses (Pro 13:1-25) that deal largely with the issue of financial blessings from the Lord. Thus, it promises a reward to those who fear the Lord.

In Pro 14:26-27, we see a signpost that refers to an abundant life. These two verses are placed within a group of proverbs that deal with one’s understanding of circumstances around him.

JFB notes that the parallelisms of Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33 are mostly antithetic, that is, sayings that contrast values in life. They contrast the wise man to the fool. However, the couplets in Pro 16:1 to Pro 22:16 are synthetic. That is, these synthetic sayings in Pro 16:1 to Pro 22:16 are different in that they are one-verse proverbs that explain one another. The second part of the couplet further explains and builds its thoughts upon the first part of the couplet.

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. Justification: Antithetic Proverbs Pro 10:1 to Pro 15:33

2. Indoctrination: Synthetic Proverbs Pro 16:1 to Pro 22:16

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Justification: The Journey to a Place of Rest ( Pro 10:1 to Pro 29:27 ) In Proverbs 10-29 we find a new emphasis regarding our spiritual journey in life. We have heard the call of wisdom in the first nine chapters. Now we have to make the choice to follow the path of wisdom, or the path of the fool. It is our decision to pursue wisdom that will justify us before God. Thus, the underlying theme of Proverbs 10-29 is our justification before God the Father, while the final chapter brings us to a place of rest, which is the destination for man’s spiritual journey in life.

Throughout Proverbs 10-29 we encounter hundreds of individual proverbs that appear to have no organized arrangement in which they are presented us. This is because in the journey of life, our encounters with the wise man and the fool appear to come in the same random order. However, God has placed all things in His divine order. When we read individual proverbs, they appear to be randomly assembled, but if we will step back and look at them as a whole or in groups, we can see an order. These proverbs are clearly grouped together by themes, such as a pure heart, the tongue, a long life, and wealth. In the same way, the circumstances that we face in our daily lives appear to have no particular order. We see very little of God’s hand in our lives in a single day, but when we step back and look as our lives over the months or years, we very clearly see God’s sovereign hand at working in our lives. We recognize that He is divinely orchestrating His purpose and plan for our lives. This is the way that the verses in the book of Proverbs are arranged.

We have seen that Proverbs 1-9, about one third of the book, is man’s call to follow the path of wisdom. Thus, about one third of the book of Proverbs is an introduction, or a preparation, for the rest of this book. Why is that so? We know that Solomon was chosen to be the successor to the throne at his birth. Therefore, he received many years of training under King David for this great task. Even today, we spent the first twenty years of our lives going to school and training for a profession, which is about one third of our lives. We spend the next two thirds of our lives building upon these twenty years of preparation. In our lives, we spend the first twenty years in preparation, the next twenty years sowing, and the last twenty years reaping what we have sown. This is why these years seem to be turning points in many people’s lives. This was the pattern in King Solomon’s life of preparation and growing in wisdom, and this is the pattern found in the book of Proverbs. It is important to note that a season of preparation is something that God has designed and instituted in the human life. He created every human being with the capacity to be shaped and molded through a training process. We often use the term “brainwashing” in a negative sense to refer to a person who has been programmed to think in a negative way; but proper training also reprograms the mind and prepares an individual for the tasks of life. Our human make-up of the spirit, soul, and body were designed to receive training before practical application and abundant living can be achieved.

Although we will study these proverbs, we will find ourselves falling short of fulfilling them in our everyday lives. None of us has walked flawlessly in obedience to any single proverb. Therefore, each individual proverb reveals God’s standard of righteousness, pointing us to Jesus, who alone fulfilled this divine standard in our behalf. In this sense, this collection of proverbs is a collection of redemptive proverbs, revealing our need for a Redeemer, who alone fulfilled every proverb.

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. Justification: Solomon’s First Collection Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16

2. Divine Service: Sayings of the Wise Pro 22:17 to Pro 24:34

3. Perseverance: Solomon’s Second Collection by Hezekiah Pro 25:1 to Pro 29:27

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

From chapter 10 to chapter 25 of the Book of Proverbs there are no connected discourses, but only individual maxims of Solomon, loosely strung together, the sense of each being complete in one or two verses. Any division in this entire section is more or less arbitrary, although it may be said that the parallelism of members in chapters 10 to 15 is generally antithetic and in chapters 16 to 22 synthetic, and there are certain other characteristics and relations of thought which show the transition from one idea to another.

v. 1. The proverbs, maxims of instruction, of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father, one who follows the precepts of wisdom makes his father glad or happy; but a foolish son, one who rejects the instruction of true wisdom, is the heaviness of his mother, causing her grief and distress.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

Verse 1-22:16

Part III. FIRST GREAT COLLECTION (375) OF SOLOMONIC PROVERBS.

Verse 1-12:28

First section. The sections are noted by their commencing usually with the words, “a wise son.”

Pro 10:1

The proverbs of Solomon. This is the title of the new part of the book; it is omitted in the Septuagint. There is some kind of loose connection in the grouping of these proverbs, but it is difficult to follow. “Ordo frustra quaeritur ubi nullus fuit observatus,” says Mart. Geier. Wordsworth considers the present chapter to contain exemplifications of the principles and results of the two ways of life displayed in the preceding nine chapters. The antithetical character of the sentences is most marked and well sustained. As the book is specially designed for the edification of youth, it begins with an appropriate saying. A wise son maketh a glad father. As wisdom comprises all moral excellence, and folly is vice and perversity, the opposite characters attributed to the son are obvious. The mother is introduced for the sake of parallelism; though some commentators suggest that as the father would be naturally elated by his son’s virtues, which would conduce to honour and high estate, so the mother would be grieved at vices which her training had not subdued, and her indulgence had fostered. If this seems somewhat far-fetched, we may consider that the father in the maxim includes the mother, and the mother the father, the two being separated for the purpose of contrast (see on Pro 26:3). The word for heaviness occurs in Pro 14:13 and Pro 17:21.

Pro 10:2

Treasures of wickedness; treasures acquired by wrong doing (Mic 6:10). Profit nothing “in the day of calamity” (Ecc 5:8; comp. Pro 11:4). The LXX. renders, “Treasures will not profit the wicked;” so Aquila. “For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mat 16:26). Righteousness (Pro 14:34); not simply justice and moral goodness, but more especially liberality, benevolence. So in Mat 6:1 the Revised Version (in accordance with the best manuscripts) reads, “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them,” Christ proceeding to specify three outward acts as coming under this term, viz. almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. In some analogous passages the LXX. renders the word by , e.g. Psa 111:9; Dan 4:27; Tobit 12:9. Delivereth from death, shows that a man’s heart is right towards God. and calls down special grace. Such a man lays up in store for himself a good foundation, that he may attain eternal life (1Ti 6:19; see on Pro 16:6).

Pro 10:3

The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish (comp. Pro 19:23). The soul is the life (comp. Pro 13:25). So the psalmist says (Psa 37:25), “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.” Christ speaks of the providence that watches over the lower creatures, and draws thence a lesson of trust in his care of man. concluding, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mat 6:26, Mat 6:33). But he casteth away the substance of the wicked; Septuagint, “He will overthrew the life of the wicked;” Vulgate, “He overturns the plots of sinners.” The word rendered “substance” (havvah) is better understood as “desire.” God frustrates the eager longing (for food or other good things) of the wicked; they are never satisfied, and get no real enjoyment out of what they crave (comp. Pro 13:25).

Pro 10:4

That dealeth with a stack hand; that is lazy and indolent (comp. Pro 6:10, Pro 6:11; see on Pro 19:15). The Septuagint, with a different pointing, reads, “Poverty humbleth a man.” The hand of the diligent (Pro 12:24) maketh rich. The words for “hand” are different in the two clauses as Wordsworth remarks. The first word is caph, the open, ineffective, hand or palm; the second term is yad, the hand tense and braced for vigorous work. The LXX. introduces a clause here which seems to interfere with the connection: , , “A well instructed son will be wise. and he will use a fool as his minister;” i.e. he is aide to make even the foolish subserve his ends. The sentence is quoted by St. Augustine, ‘De Civil Dei,’ Pro 16:2. The Vulgate inserts another paragraph, which is also found in some manuscripts of the Septuagint at Pro 9:12 : Qui nititur mendaciis, hic pascit ventos; idem autem ipse sequitur aves volantes, “He who relieth on lies feedeth on the winds, and pursueth flying birds.”

Pro 10:5

He that gathereth the harvest into the barn at the right season. The idea of husbandry is continued from the preceding verse. Son is here equivalent to “man,” the maxim being addressed to the young. That sleepeth; literally, that snoreth; Vulgate, qui stertit (Jdg 4:21). A son that causeth shame. The phrase is found in Pro 17:2; Pro 19:26; Pro 29:15. The Septuagint has, “The son of understanding is saved from the heat; but the sinful son is blasted by the wind in harvest.”

Pro 10:6

Violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. So Pro 10:11. This is usually explained to mean either that the consciousness of his own iniquity silences the sinner when he would speak against the righteous, or his violence and injustice, returning on his own head, are like a bandage over his mouth (Le 13:45; Mic 3:7), reducing him to shame and silence. Others, again, consider the signification to bein default of the good, honest words which should proceed from a man’s mouth, the sinner pours forth injustice and wickedness. But it is best (as in Pro 10:14) to take “mouth” as the subject: “The mouth of the wicked concealeth violence,” that he may wait for the opportunity of practising it. The contrast is between the manifest blessedness of the righteous and the secret sinister proceedings of the evil. The Vulgate and Septuagint give, “the blessing of the Lord.” For “violence” the Septuagint has , “untimely grief;” the Hebrew word chamas bearing also the sense of “misery.”

Pro 10:7

The memory. The lasting, fragrant perfume of a holy life is contrasted with the noisomeness and quick decay of an evil name (comp. Psa 72:17). As a commentator asks, “Who ever thinks of calling a child Judas or Nero?”

Pro 10:8

Will receive commandments. The wise in heart is not proud or conceited: he accepts the Divine Law with all its directions (observe the plural “commandments”), and is not above learning from others; at the same time, he makes no display of his wisdom. The fool of lips (Pro 10:10); one who is always exposing his folly. The literal antithesis is better shown by rendering “the solid in heart,” and “the loose in lips.” So Wordsworth. The Vulgate translates, “The fool is chastised by his lips;” i.e. the folly which he has uttered falls back upon him, and causes him to suffer punishment. The LXX. renders the last clause, “He who is given to prating ( ), walking tortuously, shall be tripped up.”

Pro 10:9

He that walketh uprightly (Pro 2:7); Vulgate and Septuagint, “in simplicity,” having nothing to conceal or to fear. So Christ enjoins his followers to be guileless as children, and harmless as doves. Surely; equivalent to “securely;” , Aquila, having no fear of inopportune exposure, because he has no secret sin. He that perverteth his ways; deals in crooked practices. Shall be known (Pro 12:16). He shall be exposed and punished, and put to open shame. Having this apprehension always present, he cannot walk with confidence as the innocent does. Hence the antithesis in the text.

Pro 10:10

He that winketh with the eye (Pro 6:13). This is a sign of craft, malice, and complicity with other wicked comrades. Ec Pro 27:22, “He that winketh with the eyes worketh evil.” Causeth sorrow (Pro 15:13). He causes trouble and vexation by his cunning and secrecy. A prating fool (as Pro 27:8). The two clauses are intended to teach that the garrulous fool is even more certain to bring ruin on himself and others than the crafty plotter. The Septuagint and Syriac have changed the latter clause into a sentence supposed to be more forcibly antithetical, “He who reproveth with boldness maketh peace.” But there are sentences not strictly antithetical in this chapter, e.g. Pro 27:18, Pro 27:22 (comp. Pro 11:10).

Pro 10:11

A well of life (Pro 13:14 : Pro 18:4). The good man utters words of wisdom, comfort, and edification. God himself is said to have “the well of life” (Psa 36:9), and to be “the Fountain of living waters” (Jer 2:13): and the holy man, drawing from this supply, sheds life and health around. The second clause should be takes as in Pro 10:6, but the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence, the contrast being between the open usefulness of the good man’s words and the harmful reticence of the malicious sinner. The Septuagint has, “A fountain of life is in the hand of the righteous; but destruction shall cover the mouth of the wicked.” This is explained to mean that a good man’s words and actions tend to spiritual health; a bad man’s words bring down sorrow and punishment.

Pro 10:12

Hatred stirreth up strife (Pro 6:14). Love covereth all sins (Pro 17:9). The reference is primarily to the blood feud, the existence of which led to the establishment of the cities of refuge. Hatred keeps alive the old feeling of revenge, and seeks opportunities of satisfying it; but love puts aside, forgets and forgives all offences against itself. This sentiment comes very near the great Christian principle, “Love covereth a multitude of sins”. The Talmud pronounces, “To love a thing makes the eye blind, the ear deaf;” and the Arab says, “Love is the companion of blindness.” Septuagint, “Love () covereth all those who love not strife.”

Pro 10:13

Wisdom is found (comp. Psa 37:30). The man of understanding is discreet in speech, and does not cause trouble by rash or foolish words. A rod (Pro 19:29; Pro 26:3). A fool brings upon himself punishment by his insensate talk. Void of understanding; Hebrew, “wanting in heart;” Vulgate, qui indiget corde. The LXX. combines the two members into one proposition, “He who putteth forth wisdom with his lips is a rod to chastise the man without heart.” In the Hebrew conception the “heart” is the seat, not only of the passions and affections, but also of the intellectual faculties.

Pro 10:14

Lay up knowledge; like a treasure, for use on proper occasions (Pro 12:23; Pro 14:33; comp. Mat 7:6; Mat 13:52). Is near destruction. “Near” may be an adjective, equivalent to “imminent,” “ever-threatening.” The versions are proximum est and . The foolish are always uttering carelessly what may bring trouble on themselves and others.

Pro 10:15

His strong city (Pro 18:11). Wealth is a help in many ways, securing from dangers, giving time and opportunity for acquiring wisdom, making one independent and free in action (Ecc 7:12; Ec 40:25, etc.). The destruction of the poor is their poverty. The poor are crushed, exposed to all kinds of evil, moral and material, by their want of means. The word for poor is here dal, which implies weakness and inability to help one’s self; the other word commonly used for “poor” is rash, which signifies rather “impecuniosity,” opposed to “wealthy.” So in the present passage the LXX. renders , “the feeble.” The poor were but lightly regarded till Christ pronounced the benediction, “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luk 6:20). The view of Theoguis will speak the experience of many

“A man, by crushing poverty subdued,
Can freely nothing either say or do
His very tongue is tied.”

Pro 10:16

Tendeth to life (Pro 11:19). Honest labour brings its own reward in the blessing of God and a long and peaceful life. The fruit of the wicked. All the profit that the wicked make they use in the service of sin, which tends only to death (Rom 6:21). The due reward of honourable industry is contrasted with the gains obtained by any means, discreditable or not.

Pro 10:17

He is in the way of life (Pro 5:6). It is a way of life when a man keepeth instruction, taketh to heart what is taught by daily providences and the wisdom of experience. Such teachableness leads to happiness here and hereafter. Erreth (Jer 42:20); not “causeth to err,” as in the margin, which weakens the antithesis. Septuagint, “Instruction () guardeth the ways of life, but he who is unaffected by instruction goeth astray” (comp. Heb 12:7, etc.).

Pro 10:18

This verse ought to be translated, He that hideth hatred is [a man] of lying lips, and he that uttereth slander is a fool. He who cherishes hatred in the heart must be a liar and a hypocrite, speaking and acting in a way contrary to his real sentiments; if he divulges his slander, he is a stupid fool, injuring his neighbour, and procuring ill will for himself. The LXX. reads, “Just () lips conceal hatred;” but probably is an error for or , though Ewald defends it, and would alter the Hebrew to suit it.

Pro 10:19

There wanteth not sin; LXX; “Thou wilt not avoid sin.” Loquacity leads to exaggeration and untruthfulness, slander and uncharitableness (comp. Ecc 5:1-3; and Christ’s and James’s solemn warnings, Mat 12:36; Jas 1:26; Jas 3:2, etc.). “Speak little,” says Pinart (‘Meditations,’ ch. 6.), “because for one sin which we may commit by keeping silence where it would be well to speak, we commit.a hundred by speaking upon all occasions” (see on Pro 17:27), Another rendering of the passage gives “By multitude of words sin does not vanish away;” i.e. you cannot mend a fault by much talking. But this weakens the contrast, and the Authorized Version is correct. Is wise. St. James calls the reticent “a perfect man” (comp. Pro 13:3). “This sentence of Scripture,” says St. Augustine, in his ‘Retractations,’ “I greatly fear, because my numerous treatises, I know well, contain many things, if not false, at any rate idle and unnecessary.”

Pro 10:20

Choice (Pro 8:10, Pro 8:19); tested, purified by fire; , Septuagint. Is little worth; mere dross, in contradistinction to choice silver. So the tongue is contrasted with the heart, out of whose abundance it speaketh (Ec Pro 21:26, “The heart of fools is in their mouth; but the mouth of the wise is in their heart”). Septuagint, “The heart of the godless shall fail ().”

Pro 10:21

Feed many. The righteous by wise counsel teach, support, and guide others (Ecc 12:11; Jer 3:15). So the clergy are the shepherds of their flocks (Joh 21:15; Act 20:28; 1Pe 5:2). The LXX. has a different reading, “know high things.” Fools die for want of wisdom. Far from “feeding” others, they bring ruin on themselves (Pro 5:23). Others translate, “die through one who wanteth understanding;” but if the Hebrew will bear this rendering, it is obvious that fools need no guide to their fall; their fate is a natural result. In this case the meaning must be that the foolish man involves others in destruction. But it is best to translate as the Authorized Version.

Pro 10:22

The blessing of the Lord. The Septuagint adds, “upon the head of the righteous,” as in Pro 10:6. Not chance and luck, not even industry and labour, but God giveth the increase (Ecc 5:18, Ecc 5:19). He addeth no sorrow with it; i.e. with the Blessing. In acquiring and in using wealth thus blessed, the good man is contented and happy, while unsanctified fiches bring only trouble and vexation. But this seems rather feeble, and it is better to render, “And a man’s own labor addeth nothing thereto.” A man’s own work must not be regarded as an equal cause of prosperity with the favour of God. This sentiment is in accordance with Psa 127:1, Psa 127:2, “Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it so he giveth unto his beloved in sleep”what others vainly labour for God giveth to the righteous without toil. The rendering of the clause, “Trouble is of no avail without it,” is scarcely warranted by the wording of the text.

Pro 10:23

As sport. The wicked make their pastime and amusement in doing evil. A man of understanding hath wisdom. As thus put, the sentence is jejune. The Revised Version expresses the meaning better: “And so is wisdom to a man of understanding;” i.e. the wise man finds his refreshment in living a wise and prudent life, which is as easy and as pleasant to him as mischief is to the vicious. The wisdom intended is practical religion, the fear of God directing and showing itself in daily action. Septuagint, “A fool doeth mischief in sport ( ), but wisdom produceth prudence for a man.”

Pro 10:24

This verse is connected in thought with the preceding. The wicked, though he lightly carries on his evil practices, is troubled with the thought of the retribution which awaits him, and that which he fears shall come upon him (Pro 1:26; Job 3:25; Isa 66:4); Septuagint, “The wicked is involved in destruction.” The desire of the righteous. The righteous will desire only that which is in agreement with God’s will, and this God grants, if not in this world, certainly in the life to come. The LXX. has, “The desire of the just is acceptable.”

Pro 10:25

As the whirlwind passeth. According to this rendering (which has the support of the Vulgate) the idea is the speed with which, under God’s vengeance, the sinner is consumed, as Isa 17:13; Job 21:18. But it is better to translate, as the LXX; “when the whirlwind is passing,” i.e. when the storm of judgment falls, as Christ represents the tempest beating on the ill-founded house and destroying it, while that which was built on the rock remains uninjured (comp. Pro 12:3; Mat 7:25, etc.; comp. Wis. 5:14, etc). Everlasting foundation (Job 21:30; Psa 91:1-16; Psa 125:1); like the Cyclopean stones on which Solomon’s temple was built. It is natural to see here an adumbration of that Just One, the Messiah, the chief Cornerstone. The LXX. gives, “But the righteous turning aside is saved forever.”

Pro 10:26

Vinegar (Rth 2:14; Psa 69:21). As sour wine sets the teeth on edge. Septuagint, “as the unripe grape is harmful to the teeth” (Eze 18:2). Smoke. In a country where chimneys were unknown, and the fuel was wood or some substance more unsavoury, the eyes must have often been painfully affected by the household fire. Thus lacrimosus, “tear-producing,” is a classical epithet of smoke (see Ovid, ‘Metam.,’ 10.6; Her; ‘Sat.,’ 1.5, 80). To these two annoyances is compared the messenger who loiters on his errand. The last clause is rendered by the LXX; “So is iniquity to those who practise it”it brings only pain and vexation.

Pro 10:27

The fear of the Lord prolongeth days. The premise of long life as the reward of a religious conversation is often found in our book, where temporal retribution is set forth (see Pro 3:2; Pro 9:11; Pro 14:27). Shall be shortened, as Psa 55:23; Ecc 7:17.

Pro 10:28

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness. The patient expectation of the righteous is joyful, because it has good hope of being, and is, fulfilled. So the apostle (Rom 12:12) speaks, “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation.” Septuagint, “Gladness delayeth for the just.” The expectation of the wicked; that which the wicked eagerly hope for shall come to naught (Pro 11:7; Job 8:13; Psa 112:10).

Pro 10:29

The way of the Lord; i.e. the way in which he has commanded, men to walkthe way of his commandments (Psa 25:12; Psa 119:27), that which the Pharisees confessed that Christ taught (Mat 22:16). The Septuagint renders, “the fear of the Lord,” which practically gives the meaning. Or “the Lord’s way” may be his moral government of the world. Strength; better a fortress (Pro 10:15). Doing his simple duty, a good man is safe; for, as St. Peter says, “Who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?” (1Pe 3:13). But destruction shall be; better, but it (the way of Jehovah) is destruction. The two effects of the Law of God are contrasted, according as it is obeyed or neglected. While it is protection to the righteous, it is condemnation and ruin to sinners (see on Pro 21:15) So Christ at one time calls himself “the Way” (Joh 14:6); at another says, “For judgment I am come into this world” (Joh 9:39); and Simeon declares of him (Luk 2:34), “This Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel”.

Pro 10:30

The righteous shall never be removed (Pro 2:21; Pro 12:3, Pro 12:21; Psa 10:6; Psa 37:29). This is in agreement with the temporal promise made to the patriarchs and often renewed, as in the fifth commandment. St. Paul says (1Ti 4:8), “Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come.” The wicked shall not inhabit (or, abide not in) the land. The punishment of exile was threatened upon the Jews for their disobedience, and they are still suffering this retribution (Le 26:33; Deu 4:27; Isa 22:17). Christ gives the other aspect of God’s moral government when he says (Mat 5:5), “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

Pro 10:31

Bringeth forth; as a tree produces fruit, and the fields yield their increase. The metaphor is common. Thus Isaiah (Isa 57:19) speaks of “the fruit of the lips” (comp. Heb 13:15 and Psa 37:30, which latter passage occurs in the same connection as the present). The Septuagint renders, “distilleth wisdom.” So So Isa 5:13, “His lips are like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.” The froward tongue (Pro 2:12, Pro 2:14 : Pro 8:13, which speaks only what is perverse and evil). Shall be cut out; like a corrupt tree that cumbers the ground (Mat 3:10; Luk 13:7). The abuse of God’s great gift of speech shall be severely punished. “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Mat 12:36, Mat 12:37).

Pro 10:32

Know. A good man’s lips are conversant with what is acceptable to God and man. Such a person considers what will please God and edify his neighbour, and speaks in conformity therewith. The LXX. has,” The lips of the righteous distil graces;” , but probably the right verb is , which is found in some manuscripts. Speaketh frowardnsss; rather, knoweth, or is perverseness (comp. Eph 4:29); Septuagint, , or, according to the Sinaitic correcter and some other scribes, , “is turned aside,” or “is overthrown.” Delitszch translates, “is mere falsehood.”

HOMILETICS

Pro 10:1

The influence of a son over his parents’ happiness

It is impossible to estimate the tremendous influence which children have on the happiness of their parents. The unfortunate thing about it is that the children are the last to realize it. It may be that a misplaced modesty inclines them to imagine that their course in life cannot be of much consequence to any one. In many cases, unhappily, gross selfishness engenders sheer indifference to the feelings of those who have most claim upon them, so that they never give a thought to the pain they are inflicting. But behind these special points there is the universal fact that no one can understand the depth and overpowering intensity of a parent’s love until he becomes a parent himself. Then, in the yearning anxiety he experiences for his own children, a man may have a revelation of the love which he had received all the days of his life without ever dreaming of its wonderful power. But surely, up to their capacity for understanding it, children should realize the great trust that is given to them. They are entrusted with the happiness of their parents. After receiving from them life, food, shelter, innumerable good things and a watchful, tender love throughout, they have it in their power to make bright the evening of their father’s and mother’s life, or to cloud it with a deep, dark gloom of hopeless misery.

I. THE SECRET OF THIS INFLUENCE IS IN THE MORTAL CONDUCT OF THE SON OR DAUGHTER. “The wise son” – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;” “the foolish son”the fool in the Bible is more morally than intellectually defective. In the infancy of their children fond parents often dream of the earthly prosperity they would wish for thema brilliant career, success in business, wealth, renown, happiness. But as life opens out more fully they come to see that these are of secondary importance. The mother whose brooding fancy prophesied a young Milton in her wonderful boy is perhaps just a little disappointed as by slow degrees she undergoes disillusion, and sees him develop into an ordinary city clerk; but she will not confess her disappointment to herself, and it is soon swallowed up in just pride and delight if he is upright and kind and good. But if she is not mistaken about the genius of her child, but only under an error as to the moral direction that genius will take; if her Milton becomes a Byron, then, though the world rings with his lame, shesupposing her to be a true, wise motherwill be broken-hearted with grief. It is not the dulness, nor the failures, nor the troubles, nor the early death of children that bring a father’s “grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.” It is their sins. If these sins show direct unkindness, the grief reaches its saddest height. Then the father may well say, with poor Lear

“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is
To have a thankless child!”

It is heart rending for the mother to part with her infant if he dies an early death. But the grief she feels when she looks at the little grave, and thinks of her child quietly sleeping, safe with the God who called the children to himselfthis grief is calm and endurable compared with the awful, crushing agony she would have experienced if the child had lived and had fallen into sin and brought shame upon his head. Parents are foolish as well as unsubmissive when they pray too positively for their children’s lives. Our one great Father knows what is best. Perhaps it is safest for all that the child should be taken from the evil to come. But, of course, if he can be spared to live a life of usefulness and honour, this is most to be desired, and the parents’ prayers should chiefly go out for the safe preservation of their children’s better life.

II. THE POSSESSION OF THIS INFLUENCE SHOULD BE A STRONG INDUCEMENT TO WORTHY LIVING. It furnishes a new element in the obligations of right. The son has it in his power to make his parents happy or miserable. So great a trust involves a serious responsibility. “No man liveth unto himself.” Besides his higher obligations, the son has a life in regard to his father and mother. He is not at liberty to run riot as he chooses, because he thinks his own future only is at stake. By all the terrible pain he inflicts, by the deep gladness he might have conferred, the guilt of his sin is aggravated. Should not such considerations urge strongly against yielding to temptation? If the mad young man cares little for abstract righteousness, if he has lost the fear of God, still is it nothing that every new folly is a stab in the heart of those who have done most for him and who would even now give their hoes to save him? It is not unmanly to say to one’s self, “For my mother’s sake I will not do this vile thing.” It is devilish not to be capable of such a thought. Similar considerations may help us in our highest relations. God is our Father. We may “grieve” his Spirit by sin. When the prodigal returns God rejoices in the presence of his angels. Shall we not hate the sins that made Christ mourn, and seek to do better for the sake of the love of God?

Pro 10:4

Diligence

Of late it has become fashionable to claim a cheap reputation for loftiness of moral aims by sneering at what are called the “smug virtues.” There is a great deal about these despised virtues in the Book of Proverbs, and consequently a very low estimate is formed of that portion of Scripture. But is there not something hollow about this assumption of ethical elevation? It cannot be denied that the “smug virtues” have a real obligation. No one would venture to say that they can be dispensed with. They are simply of a comparatively inferior value. But till they are complied with it is often difficult to rise to more ethereal heights of goodness. Meanwhile that man is little short of a hypocrite who neglects the plain duties that lie at his door for the pursuit of some other more recondite graces. Diligence is one of the first of these duties, and it is requisite for various reasons. Note some of them.

I. WEALTH DEPENDS ON WORK. This is a primary law of providence. God might have fed us as he fed the ravens. But instead of putting food ready for our mouths, he gives us hands with which to work for it. Social arrangements only disguise this law. The son inherits the fruits of his father’s industry. The idle man sucks the honey of other men’s toil. But it remains truth that work makes wealth. Every man’s wealth depends largely on the work of some onehis own or somebody else’s. It is the duty of everybody to see that he is not dependent upon other people’s labours if he can help himself. The man who squanders his money in prosperous times, and throws himself on public charity directly he is ill or out of work, is guilty of gross selfishness amounting to dishonesty. It is plainly every man’s duty not only to keep himself and his family, but, where it is possible, to make fit provision for the future, or he will be robbing others of their maintenance. Hence one obligation to be industrious and thrifty.

II. WORK IS FOR OUR OWN GOOD. People talk of the curse of toil, little knowing that it is one of the greatest blessings we have. Better talk of the curse of idleness. It is a happy thing that man has to earn his bread with the sweat of his brow. Work develops strengthstrength of mind as well as strength of limb. The self-made man is not invariably a model of grace; but he is usually a specimen of sturdy vigor of character, as different from the limp conventionality of indolence as granite rock from drifting seaweed.

III. WE ARE ALL STEWARDS. The servant is required to be industrious for his master’s sake. His time is not his own. He is not at liberty, therefore, to lounge about in dreamy idleness. We are stewards of the things lent us by God. He has sent us to work in his vineyard. In duo time he will call us to account. “To be blameless as a steward of God” a man must be faithful, honest, industrious.

IV. CHRISTIANITY INCULCATES DILIGENCE. No greater mistake can be made than to suppose that the New Testament favours indolence. The ideal of Oriental monasticism is derived from other sources. Even the remake in the West knew better. In its palmy days European monasticism was the centre of honest toil. The monks cleared forests, reclaimed bogs, built cathedrals, cultivated farms, studied, laboriously copied and preserved for us the invaluable treasures of the literature of antiquity. Amongst other fruits of grace in the Christian’s heart will be increased diligence in business. Christian principle, however, is necessary to consecrate industry. Without it wealth. will be a god, business an absorbing worldly influence, and success a source of low selfish pleasure. But he who is diligent on Christian principle will make his business holy by working in it as the servant of Christ, and his wealth holy by dedicating it to the use of God.

Pro 10:5

Sleep in harvest

I. SLEEP IN HARVEST IS FOOLISH, BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME FOR THE HARVEST WORK. We may afford to be slack in the winter. Through the long frosts when the ground is like iron, during heavy rains when to poach on the fields is only injurious to the crops, much work is necessarily suspended. But harvest claims all time and all energy. Every man must be at work, fresh hands taken on, and longer hours spent in the field. How preposterous to be sleeping then! There are harvest times in lifetimes when we are called to awake to more than ordinary energy. Youth, though in many respects a seed time, also has some of the characteristics of harvest. It is the summer time when work is pleasant, and when there is little to hinder it. If a man will not work in these bright days, how can he expect to be able to labour when the cramps and agnes of wintry old age seize upon him? It is also the time of a great ingathering, when knowledge must be accumulated for future use. If this harvest season is passed in idleness, it will be impossible to fill the granary of the mind with stores of knowledge in after years. But there are other special opportunities for work. We seem to have come upon the great season of the world’s harvest. “The fields are now white.” India is open, China and Africa are opening up; and the call is loud for labourers to go forth and gather the precious sheaves into the garner of the Lord. If there may have been some excuse for indolence in the dark ages of tyranny and ignorance, there is none now, when communication is made easy and vast opportunities for service are afforded us,

II. SLEEP IN HARVEST IS FOOLISH, BECAUSE IT WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS OF ALL PREVIOUS LABOUR. The monotonous toil of the ploughman, the careful work of the sower, the tiresome weeding, all the labour of spring and summer, will be wasted if the harvest is to be left to rot in the fields. All this was only intended to prepare the way for the harvest. So there are times when we are called to make use of the long preparatory labours of after years. The barrister begins to plead, the surgeon to practise, the minister to preach. If they are remiss now, their university honours will add to the discredit of failure in real life. The training is all wasted if we neglect to put it to its final use. So the Christian labourer, the missionary, the preacher, the Sunday school teacher, should feel that all their work is to tend to the gathering in of souls for Christ. If they miss that result, the rest is of little good. Care, diligence, prayer, are most called for that the previous labour may not be “in vain in the Lord,” Hence the responsibility of the teachers of elder scholars in a Sunday school. The harvest time of the school work falls upon them. If they are unfaithful, all the previous toil of preparing the soil in the infant school and sowing the seed in the lower classes may be thrown away.

III. SLEEP IN HARVEST IS FOOLISH, BECAUSE IT WILL BEING FAMINE IN THE WINTER. The harvest is a brief, swift period. It is soon to give place to the chill autumn, and that to the dreary winter. If the fruit is not gathered then it can never be gathered in later days. Yet it will be sadly wanted. The old year’s corn will run out, and a great cry for bread will go up from a famished people. Then the folly of ultimate indolence will be felt in slow agony and death. We need all to remember that there is a winter coming. Let the strong man labour in harvest for the winter of growing infirmities in old age; let the prosperous labour in seasons of plenty, that they may have by them fat kine to be devoured in years of scarcity; let the happy make use of their opportunities, that they may be ready for the sorrows of the future. Apply the lesson to national affairs. In times of peace and plenty see that debts are paid off, grievances reformed, and all things made right anti strong in preparation for possible national calamities. Apply it to commercial affairs, so that times of good trade may not lead to extravagance and luxury, but to more thrift. Apply it to spiritual thingsto the church generally, that in peace and liberty sound principles may be instilled and strong Christian characters built up fit to stand the shock of persecution; to the individual, and see that we gather the bread of life now which shall make us able to withstand the barrenness of the winter of death. If we sleep in this our harvest time, what dread awaking must we look forward to?

Pro 10:7

The memory of the just.

I. THE WORLD CONCERNS ITSELF WITH THE REPUTATION OF THE DEAD. The words of our text describe a fact to which all history bears witness. No study is more absorbing than historyincluding biography; and the most interesting part of history is that which deals with individuals and discusses character. In spite of the protests of the philosophers, we are all more attracted by Shakespeare and Scott than by Hallam and Buckle. Statistics, generalizations, great laws and principles of national growth, all have their claims on our attention; but the characters of individual men appeal to us with a quite different human interest. Even the most commonplace gossip of the streetcorner has some justification in the element of sympathy with things human that it presupposes.

II. THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN POSTHUMOUS REPUTATION IS CHARACTER. Who cares for Croesus? But the slave Epictetus takes a high place in the world’s thoughts. The reputation for wealth that brings fawning flatterers in a man’s lifetime is the first to fade after death. So is that of empty titles. The present dukesay the seventhis treated with the deference considered due to rank, but no one cares to ask in what the third duke differed from the fourth duke. Even the dazzling conqueror’s renown soon tarnishes if it is not preserved by higher qualities. Few men now envy the reputation of Napoleon. Genius, perhaps, carries off amongst men the palm of fame; the first place, which is due to character, is reserved for the next world. Still, moral character counts for more in common human reputation than the cynical are ready to admit. At all events, in that inner circle where a man would most care for his reputation this takes its right place. If it is better to be loved at home than to be admired abroad, it is better to leave a fragrant memory for goodness in one’s own circle than to leave sorrow in the home and to reap grand funeral honours in the outside world. It is remarkable to observe how fair is the verdict of history. A hypocrite may deceive his contemporaries. He can rarely deceive future generations.

III. IT IS OUR DUTY TO CHERISH THE MEMORY OF THE JUST. This is a duty we owe to them, to righteousness, and to succeeding ages. The honest canonization that comes from no papal authority, but from the honest conviction of admiring multitudes, is worthy tribute to goodness. Still, let us beware of the mockery of substituting this for our duty to the livingbuilding splendid tombs to the prophets whom we have slain. How often have great men been slighted, misunderstood, cruelly wronged, during their lifetime; and then honoured by a chorus of repentant praise as soon as death has taken them beyond the reach of it! On the other hand, beware of indiscriminate adulation of the dead. There is wholesome truth in the words, “The name of the wicked shall rot.” Nothing is more false than the common style of epitaphs. A visit to a graveyard would suggest that the world was a paradise of immaculate saints. Where you cannot justly praise, at least be decently silent. Left to itself, the name of the wicked will melt away and vanishas all rotten things do.

IV. IT IS PROFITABLE TO CONSIDER THE LESSONS LEFT BY THE LIVES OF THE DEPARTED. We need not go the length of the early Christians, who, beginning by meeting in the catacombs where the martyrs were buried, soon came to worship the martyrs as demi-gods. But we may gain great good by contemplating the beauty of good lives. If we cherish the memory of those who have gone “to join the choir invisible,” we may be helped to emulate their noble qualities.

Pro 10:12

The cloak of charity

One of the devices of the parallelism or rhythm of ideas, which is the general characteristic of Hebrew poetry, is the alternative treatment of the same thought from two opposite points of viewfrom positive and negative poles. The value of some good thing is emphasized by contrasting it with the repulsive nature of its contrary, as Venetian ladies tried to appear the more fair by having negro pages to attend them. Thus the beautiful work of love, in covering of sins, is here made most attractive by being brought out on the dark background of the ugly doings of hatred. It may be profitable, therefore, for us to glance at the more painful subject first.

I. THE DARK BACKGROUND. “Hatred stirreth up strifes.”

1. Where there is hatred strifes will be stirred up. This hideous passion is active, powerful, and contagious. It is not content to consume itself in hidden fires; it will blaze out and spread its mischief abroad.

(1) “Hatred stirreth up strifes” because it starts new quarrels; it is irritating, provoking. An incendiary will always find plenty of fuel. When the spark is struck the tinder is ready to receive it. It is not in human nature to submit tamely to insult. Though it takes two to make a quarrel, when one man shows himself offensively quarrelsome he will not be long in finding an antagonist.

(2) Then “hatred stirreth up strifes” because it aggravates old quarrels. It pokes the fire. It freshens the smouldering embers and shakes them up so that they break out into a blaze again. It is the great mischief maker, and where it finds a little rift it sets diligently to work to widen this into a great chasm.

2. Where strifes are stirred up hatred is behind them. The strifes are a sign of the presence of hatred. True, a benevolent man may be dragged into a quarrel; but he will not provoke it himself, and he will not maintain it a moment longer than righteousness requires. A quarrelsome disposition is at bottom grounded on hatred. For if we loved one another, how could we desire to be at variance? Tale bearing, reporting words that one knows will only rouse ill feeling between two people, presenting things in their worst light so as to suggest offensive thoughts, exaggerating the unkindness of a person by imputing bad motives,all such conduct is inconsistent with Christian charity; it is just the behaviour of the old serpent, who brought discord into Eden, and was “a murderer from the beginning.”

II. THE BRIGHT PICTURE. “But love covereth all sins.” This does not refer to one’s own sinsto the fact that one who levee much is forgiven much (Luk 7:47). It is the sins of others that love covers.

1. Love covereth all sins against one‘s self. “Love suffereth long, and is kind” (1Co 13:4). The Christian must; forgive his enemies because he is taught to love them. All forgiveness springs from love. God pardons us for nothing that we do, but for the sake of his love in Jesus Christ. But our Lord has told us plainly that unless we forgive men their trespasses against us neither will our heavenly Father forgive us our trespasses. This is therefore no question of counsels of, perfection, but one of the first elements of the Christian life, if we cherish a vindictive spirit against anyone, we are ourselves still unforgiven by God, still dead in trespasses and sins. If we do not prove one love by forgiving, men, we do not possess it, and without love to our brethren we can have no love to God. Therefore so long as we obstinately refuse forgiveness to any one who has wronged us, our Christianity is nothing but hypocrisy; it is a lie.

2. Love covereth all sins in others generally, i.e. it leads us not to note them. not to report them, not to aggravate the guilt of them, not to make mischief by tale bearing. Further, it is not content to be negatively oblivious of sin. It must be active in throwing the cloak of charity upon it. Of course we must be just and truthful. But these obligations leave us free in most cases to labour to prevent mischief by a charitable behaviour in our social influence. The Christian is not called to be an informer. At least Christian love will make a man a peacemaker. If he cannot hide the sin without unfaithfulness to some trust, he can endeavour to prevent the rising of evil passions. This is the grand Christian method of conquering wickedness. The law chastises by punishment; the gospel reforms by forgiveness. So Christ, the incarnation of God’s love, covers all our sins, and renews our hearts through the grace of forgiveness.

Pro 10:19

Golden silence

I. THE SINFUL CHARACTER OF MUCH ORDINARY CONVERSATION SHOULD INDUCE GREAT CAUTION IN SPEECH. It is a grave charge to bring against the tone of general society to say that “in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.” But is it not as true now as it was in the days of Solomon? “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh;” but “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,” and therefore, so long as human nature is corrupt, conversation will be corrupt also. If the well is poisoned, the less water we draw from it the better. In particular two or three bad features of common conversation may be observed, viz.:

1. Untruthfulness. There is probably a little more conscious lying even in society that professes to follow the code of honour than its members would care to admit. But untruthfulness may appear in a more disguised form. There is the equivocation that some people practise so skilfullyblinding their own conscience while throwing dust into the eyes of other people. The tendency to exaggeration for the sake of dramatic effect is very common. The falsification by means of caricature, which is dishonest because it is not confessedly caricature, is another source of deceit. But hasty speech may fall into unconscious errors; and then, though the sin of lying is not committed, harm is done by the spread of reports that are not true.

2. Unkindness. How much of the gossip of the parlour is made up of the criticism of one’s neighboursat least in some circles of society! No ill feeling may be felt, but cruel injustice is done when a man’s actions are discussed and his motives dissected on very insufficient evidence, in the absence of the accused, by a small coterie of persons whom he trusts as friends. But if “love covereth all sins,” it is uncharitable to make even the proved offences of our neighbours the topic of idle conversation.

3. Unholiness. When no impure words are spoken, conversation may be more dangerously defiled by innuendo. The obscene word is disgusting in its coarseness, but the skilful equivoque, supposed to be more fit for ears polite, carries its poison to an unsuspecting imagination. When nothing directly immoral is suggested, how much conversation would come under the category of what our Lord calls “idle words”? Such words are very different from genuine criticisms, or even from light banter, which may not be idle, but useful as mental refreshment.

II. THE DANGEROUS INFLUENCE OF SPEECH CONFIRMS THE WISDOM OF SILENCE.

1. Speech is remembered. The word once out cannot be recalled. It remains to rankle in the wounded breast or to stain permanently the imagination of the hearer. What is said in the heat of passion will be remembered against us in the coolness of vindictive spite. The unseemly joke of a frivolous moment may perpetually haunt the sacred subject it tampers with.

2. Speech is suggestive. The utterance may be little in itself, but it starts a long train of associations. One unkindly word will suggest a whole realm of ungenerous thoughts. A single unholy phrase may bring to view a whole theatre of unclean images. The word is but a spark; yet it may kindle a great fire (Jas 3:5). The most hasty speech may cut deepest, like the swiftest sword thrust.

III. IN MANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES SILENCE IS PECULIARLY DESIRABLE.

1. In quarrelsome society. When we know that our words will only fall like firebrands iu a powder magazine, the less said the better. If we cannot persuade a person to maintain friendly intercourse with us, we had better have no intercourse with him.

2. In unsympathetic society. It is foolish to cast pearls before swine. We must beware of the pharisaical use that pride will make of this maxim, leading us to preserve a silence of contempt. But in all humility and charity we may refrain from speaking where we shall only be misunderstood. If our hearer cannot receive the ideas of our speech, we only waste time in giving him the wordsprobably we do worse, and lead him into delusions through the wrong construction that he will put on our language.

3. In degraded society. When to enter into conversation will only stir up the mud that lies at the bottom of the now stagnant pool, we had better be quiet. In general a few well weighed words have more force than many hasty, thoughtless utterances. We do not all possess the gift of laconic terseness. But we can at least set a guard on our speech, and when called to speak seek Divine grace that oar words may be “seasoned with salt.”

Pro 10:28

The hope of the righteous

I. WE ALL LIVE BY HOPE. The righteous has his “hope,” the wicked his “expectation;” both live in the future. The present takes its colours chiefly from our anticipations of the future. It is dark or bright according as shadows or light fall on it from that visionary world. The man who has no hope here or hereafter is practically dead. Despair is suicide. Hence the importance of seeing to our hopes. If they are ill-grounded, all life is a mistake.

II. THE LOTS OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED DIFFER LESS IN THEIR PRESENT CONDITION THAN IN THE FUTURE OF THEIR HOPES. Old Testament saints were often distressed at the sufferings of the good and, the prosperity of the bad. It is when we see “their end” that we discover the just allotment. The house on the sand stands as fairly as the house on the rocktill the storm comes. “When the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is no more; but the righteous is an everlasting portion” (Pro 10:25). Men of very different deserts may have equally bright hopes; for hope is not founded on the verdict of justice, but on a man’s own ideas, or even his idle fancies. The vigour of the hope is no guarantee of the certainty of its fulfilment.

III. THE PROVIDENTIAL JUSTICE OF GOD WILL OVERRULE THE ISSUE OF ALL HOPES. Our views of the future can only be safely depended on when they are determined by what we know of God. The future is in his hands. So, of course, is the present. But it is only in the course of a long time that the modifying influence of temporary accidents is removed and great general laws exert their full force. What will then happen we cannot tell by only investigating present phenomena, because of the confusion of transient influences. We must study the character of God. Then we shall be constrained to exclaim, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Because God is just, justice must be the ultimate outcome of all things. Through all time God is surely working on to this end. We are deceived by the tardiness of the process, yet this very tardiness is effecting the more complete final result.

“The mills of God grind slowly,
But they grind exceeding small.”

IV. THE DIFFERENT NATURE OF THE HOPES OF MEN OF DIFFERENT CHARACTER LARGELY DETERMINES THE QUESTION OF THEIR FUTURE FULFILMENT. God works through means and laws. Some hopes are naturally doomed to failure, others contain seeds of immortal fruition. Now, the nature of our hopes is dependent on our character. Better than professions, words, or even deeds, as a test of character, are a man’s hopes. Tell us what he hopes, and we can say what he is. The hope is an emanation of the very essence of the soul. Therefore bad men have bad hopes, and good men good hopes. If both seem to hope for the same thing, the hopes are still wide apart as the poles; for the same thing objectively is quite different to us according to the thoughts with which we view it. The heaven for which a wicked man hopes is very unlike the Christian’s heaven. Good men hope for what is good; i.e. for what agrees with God’s will. Thus their hope will not be disappointed. Christians have faith in “Christ in us the Hope of glory.” Such an expectation presages its own satisfaction.

Pro 10:31

Righteousness and wisdom

These two attributes appear to belong to different spheresthe one to the moral and the other to the intellectual. Yet they are here associated as parent and child, and righteousness is seen to sprout into wisdom. Righteous men are represented as speaking wisely. Now, we know that good people have not a monopoly of intellect. Aristides the virtuous was not as clever as Themistocles. There are small-minded saints, and there are sinners of giant intellect. Where, then, is the connection between righteousness and wisdom?

I. RIGHTEOUSNESS STRENGTHENS THE WHOLE SOUL. It will not convert a peasant into a philosopher, but it will brighten the faculties of the peasant. While sin deadens the soul, dissipates its faculties, and lowers its powers, the calm and temperate life of a good man helps him to attain to such vigour of thought as is within the reach of his powers.

III. RIGHTEOUSNESS REMOVES THE HINDRANCE OF PREJUDICE. No doubt many good people have their prejudices. But that is in spite of their goodness, and the goodness is an antidote of more or less efficacy. The root of prejudice is self-will, and this is also the root of sin. Just in proportion as we learn the self-distrust of humility we shall be freed from the blindness of prejudice.

III. RIGHTEOUSNESS INSTILS THE LOVE OF TRUTH. The good man wishes to know truth; he acknowledges the duty of seeking light; he will not let indolence keep him in ignorance. Now, an earnest pursuit of truth is not likely to be rewarded with failure. They who seek Wisdom earnestly will find her (Pro 8:17). Thus the rousing of a motive to strive after wisdom helps us to reach it, and this is the fruit of righteousness.

IV. RIGHTEOUSNESS OPENS THE EYES OF THE SOUL. It has a direct influence in purging the inward vision. There are truths which can only be revealed through channels of sympathy. The way of holiness lies hidden from the gaze of the corrupt. To be good is to see the best truth.

V. RIGHTEOUSNESS LEADS TO THE PRACTICAL USE OF TRUTH. Wisdom is not a merely intellectual attainment. While intimately connected with the thoughts of the mind, it also has vital relations with the resolves of the will. The wise man is not only one who knows the right way; he practises his knowledge by walking therein.

VI. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS TRUTHFUL. When a good man speaks he will not knowingly deceive. His earnest desire will be to utter just what he believes to be true. But such a desire will help him to put forth words of wisdom.

A practical result of this association of wisdom with righteousness is that we should look well to the character of our teachers. The merely popular preacher, or the merely clever thinker, will not be so useful a guide in the higher reaches of the spiritual life as the good man of less brilliant natural gifts and intellectual attainments. Thus true wisdom may be discovered where the world only expects foolishness (1Co 1:20, 1Co 1:21).

HOMILIES BY E. JOHNSON

Pro 10:1

We enter upon a mosaic-work of proverbs, which perhaps hardly admit of any one principle of arrangement except that of moral comparison and contrast. This governs the whole. Life is viewed as containing endless oppositions, to which light and darkness correspond in the world of sensuous perception.

Early appearance of moral contrast

I. THE FAMILY LIFE ELICITS CHARACTER. It is a little world, and from the first provides a sphere of probation and of judgment which is the miniature of the great world.

II. THE TRAINING OF THE PARENTS IS REFLECTED IN THE CHILDREN‘S CONDUCT. And the conduct of the children is reflected in the parents’ joy or grief. Hence the duty of wise training on the one side, loving obedience on the other; that the happy effects may be secured, the unhappy averted, in each case.

III. TO LIVE TO MAKE ONE‘S PARENTS (AND OTHERS) HAPPY IS ONE OF THE BEST OF MOTIVES. To see our actions mirrored in their mirth and others’ joy, what pleasure can be purer, what ambition nobler?J.

Pro 10:2-7

Moral contrast in earthly lot and destiny

I. ILL–GOTTEN WEALTH AND RECTITUDE. (Pro 10:2.) The former cannot avert sudden death or shame (Pro 10:25, Pro 10:27); the latter is vital, and stands the man in good stead in every hour of human trial, and of Divine judgment.

II. HONEST POVERTY AND PROFLIGATE GREED. (Pro 10:3.) The former does not hunger, is contented with little, has true satisfaction. The latter is never satisfied, expands with every indulgence, is like the “dire dropsy.” It is an unappeasable thirst. God repudiates it by fixing it in perpetual impotency, while the temperate and chastened doilies are rewarded by fulfilment.

III. THE LAX AND THE INDUSTRIOUS HAND. (Pro 10:4; comp. Pro 12:24.) The one leading to poverty, the other to fiches. Languor and energy have their physical conditions; but how much lies in the will? We live in a day when it is the fashion to talk of “determinism,” and to extend the doctrine of “causes over which we have no control” beyond all reasonable limits. We need to fall back on the healthy common sense of mankind, and on the doctrine of these proverbs. There is a moral question involved. Laziness is immoral, and receives the condemnation of immorality; industry is a virtue, and brings its own reward in every sphere. The opposition is amplified in Pro 10:5; active forethought being contrasted with supine indifference. The hard field labour referred to belongs particularly to young men; and to young men idleness is peculiarly corrupting.

IV. ASSOCIATIONS OF BLESSING AND THOSE OF VIOLENCE. (Pro 10:6.) However the verse may be rendered and interpreted, this is the opposition. Blessing leads the mind through such a series of associated ideas as peace, tranquillity, order, security; violence through a contrasted seriestrouble, disquiet, disorder, and all that implies a curse.

V. BRIGHT AND DARK RECOLLECTIONS. (Pro 10:7.) The good man lives in thankful memories; the bad man’s name is like an ill odour, according to the literal meaning of the Hebrew word. When the saying is quoted, The ill men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones,” we should recall by whom this was said, or feigned to be said, and for what purpose. In the memory of Caesar’s ambition Antony is afraid the Romans will forget his services. Momentarily good may be forgotten, but ultlmately must come to recognition and honour. The course of time illustrates the worth of the good, and enhances the odium of evil memories.J.

Pro 10:8-10

Folly and wisdom in manifold contrast

I. THE WISE MAN IS MORE READY TO RECEIVE THAN TO GIVE COUNSEL; THE FOOL, THE OPPOSITE.

II. THE WISE MAN KNOWS THE VALUE OF RESERVE; THE FOOL WILL “STILL BE TALKING.”

III. THE WISE MAN IS THRIFTY, ECONOMICAL OF WORDS, A CAPITALIST OF THOUGHT; THE FOOL, A SPENDTHRIFT OF WORDS, A BANKRUPT OF THOUGHT.

IV. THE WISE MAN RISES IN REPUTATION, IN POSITION; THE FOOL COMES SOONER OR LATER TO A “FALL.”

V. GUILELESSNESS IS SAFE, WHILE CRAFT AND CROOKED POLICY ARE CERTAIN, SOONER OR LATER, OF EXPOSURE. (Pro 10:9.) In that widest sense in which alone the saying is noble and true, “Honesty is the best policy.” Cunning overreaches itself and gets into trouble; and the mere talker never ends well. Speech should only be prophetic of deed; otherwise, Many will say to me in that day, etc.J.

Pro 10:11-14

A fourfold opposition

I. SPEECH THAT QUICKENS AND SPEECH THAT KILLS. (Pro 10:11.)

1. The speech of the wise and good is sound, “seasoned with salt;” that of the wicked is hollow or else poisonous.

2. The former edifies, builds up and strengthens the good principle in the minds of those who convene with him; the bluer destroys the good, and sows evil in its stead.

II. QUARRELSOMENESS AND AMIABILITY. (Pro 10:12; see on Pro 6:14.) The former begets evil, increases that already existing, inflames wounds lets nothing pass that may serve as fuel to its fire. The latter puts an end to much evil, prevents the rise of more, soothes every wound, and mitigates every mischief. The former is ever dividing, the latter reconciling. They undo one another’s work; but love in the end prevails (Pro 17:9; 1Co 13:4; Jas 5:20; 1Pe 4:8).

III. THE GRACE OF WISDOM AND THE DISGRACE OF FOLLY. (Pro 10:13.) The pure eloquence of the good man attracts admiration and wins confidence; while the fallacies of the pretender, the spurious rhetoric of the insincere certain to be exposed and castigated. The life of the, House of Commons, or of any great assembly, furnishes constant illustrations.

IV. PRUDENT RESERVE AND PERNICIOUS LOQUACITY. (Pro 10:14.) There is a time end place for silence, the wise man knowsboth for the recovery of his own thoughts, and for the opportunity of watching others. By a bold figure of speech, it may often be that silence is the greatest eloquence. In many instances we think we have produced no effect, have not committed ourselves to the expression of opinion; on the contrary, our reserve has spoken. In all this lies a science and art of living. The fool does not see this; he is too self-absorbed to see anything that passes in others’ minds, or too unsympathetic to feel; and hence blurts out things that had better have been left unsaid, hurts sensibilities, blackens reputations, causes false positions for himself and others.

1. The heart must be watched. There is no other source of pleasing, gentle manners, nor of sound behaviour in society. Reserve and unreserve of the right kind are simply the government of the tongue by charity.

2. The tongue must be watched. And regulated by good models of Conversation. Never must it be forgotten how much we learn by imitation.J.

Pro 10:15-21

A sevenfold strain of experience

For the most part these sayings relate to earthly goodstheir value, and the means for their acquisition. Godliness has the promise of both lives. Equally incredible would a religion which ignored the future be with one which ignored the present. Equally one-sided is the expectation only of earthly good from wisdom, and the expectation only of heavenly good. We must beware of a false materializing and of a false spiritualizing of religion.

I. THE POWER OF WEALTH AND THE WEAKNESS OF POVERTY. The former like a strong city or fortress; the latter like a ruinous dwelling, which threatens at any moment to tumble about the dweller’s head. The teacher is thinking, as the following verse shows, on the one hand, of wealth wisely and honourably won, which becomes a means to other wise ends; on the other hand, of blameworthy poverty, which leads in time to further vice and misery. To desire competent means for the sake of worthy objects, and to fear poverty because of its temptations, is a right and true attitude of mind.

II. THE TENDENCY OF WEALTH DEPENDS ON THE MIND OF THE POSSESSOR. (Pro 10:16.) The “tendency of riches” is in itself an incomplete thought. Silver and gold have no tendency, except by a figure of speech. In the heart of man the directing force is found. Used justly, riches are a good; they are simply, like bodily strength, knowledge, skill, a mass of available means. Used wickedly, so that they simply feed our senses and our pride, or become corrupters of others’ integrity, they simply increase the possessor’s power and range of mischief. When we poetically speak of accursed gold, or base dross, we should be aware that these are figures, and that the curse can never rest on anything in God’s creation except the will which perverts what is a means to good into a means to evil.

III. THE CAUSES OF DIRECTION ADD MISDIRECTION IN LIFE. (Pro 10:17.) Why do some men succeed, and others fail, in perpetual blundering and error? The particular cases may be complex; but as to the general rule there can be no question. In the one case there is admission of faults and attention to the correction of them. In the other, blindness to faults, inattention to warnings, obstinate persistence in error. Be not above taking a hint, especially from a foe. “Temper” is the bane of many. Any opportunity is sacrificed rather than the whim, the humour which seems to the man so thoroughly a part of himself that he cannot give it up. The habit of calm revision of one’s progress and failures in the hour of prayer seems needful both to preserve from over self-confidence and from over-reliance on the advice of others.

IV. CONCEALED HATRED AND OPEN MALICE EQUALLY ODIOUS. (Pro 10:18.) Resentment that one dares not, or thinks it polite not to, express makes the lips turn traitor; and the victim is both “contemned and flattered.” God has placed a natural hatred of duplicity in our hearts. It was levelled as a reproach against Euripides that he had put into the mouth of one of his characters the sentiment, “My tongue did swear, my heart remain’d unsworn.” Not so dangerous in many cases, but morally worse, is the deliberate slanderer, who goes about to despoil his neighbours of that which leaves them much poorer, makes him none the richer. He is a fool, because his arts recoil upon himself.

V. THE PERIL OF THE BABBLING TONGUE; THE PRUDENCE OF RESERVE. (Pro 10:19.) The man may be confronted with his words. The “written letter remains,” and “many witnesses” may serve equally well to convict of the authorship of a malicious speech. It is far more easy for men to forgive abusive things said to their faces than things reported to have been said behind their backs. And even injurious acts can be got over more readily than stinging words of sarcasm. Words have a more definite shape in thought than deeds; they reveal a certain view of you which has some truth in it. You cannot forget it, which means with most you cannot forgive it. A clean-cut sarcasm, a slander which has just that vraisemblance about it which gives currency to gossip, stamps a certain image of the victim in the public mind. The gentler motive to prudence is the hurt we may do others; the motive consistently here is the treatment we may experience ourselves. If a person, on grounds like these, were to take a pledge of total abstinence from “personal talk” of the critical kind, his prudence must be respected. An approach to this is found in well bred society. And how lamentable the condition of some so called religious circles, when there is so little culture that conversation gravitates as if by necessity to the discussion of the character and doings of popular preachers, etc.!

VI. THE TONGUE AND THE HEART ARE IN IMMEDIATE CONNECTION. (Pro 10:20.) Just as Napoleon said his brain and hand were in immediate connection. The analogy will serve. The “silver tongue” (no accents are silvery but those of truth) bespeaks the fine disposition, the noble heart. And what can the produce of the “worthless” heart be but “rot” upon the tongue?

VII. GOOD BREEDS GOOD, WHILE EVIL CANNOT KEEP ITSELF ALIVE. (Pro 10:21.) The lips of the just pasture many. Good words, good preachers, good books,these are the food of the world, and there cannot be an oversupply. Bad books and teachers may be let alone. As Dr. Johnson said of a poem, it had not enough life in it to keep it sweet (or, “not enough vitality to preserve it from corruption”).J.

Pro 10:22-25

Life seekers

Leasing says of the Old Testament, as an elementary book of childlike wisdom, that “its style is now plain and simple, now poetic, full of tautologies, but such as exercise the penetration of the mind, while they seem now to say something fresh, yet say the same; now seem to say the same, and at bottom signify, or may signify, something different.” The Proverbs are the constant illustration of the Law.

I. THE BLESSING OF JEHOVAH INDISPENSABLE; ALL TROUBLE VAIN WITHOUT IT. (Verse 22.) We adopt the rendering, “Trouble is of no avail without it.” His blessing is all in all. The thought thus yielded is a beautiful one, identical with that in Psa 127:1-5. Jehovah gives bread to his beloved while they sleep and take no “anxious thought” about it. The thought was familiar to the ancient mind, and has been wrought up in parable and fable. The counterpart is that the blessing of God is not given to the idle; that “God loves to be helped;” that “Heaven helps those who help themselves.” The opposite faults are indolence and over-anxiety.

II. THE TRUTH AND THE FALSE SOURCE OF CHEERFULNESS. (Verse 23.) The fool makes mirth out of mischief. He takes delight in seeing the image of his restless and mischievous activity everywhere. The man of principle, on the contrary, draws his serene cheerfulness from faith in the Divine law of thingsthe sense that he is reconciled to it, and that good must ever flow from it.

III. THE FEARFUL AND THE HOPEFUL TEMPERS TRACED TO THEIR SIGNIFICANCE. (Verse 24.) There is a timidity bred of an evil consciencea buoyant expectation of the future bred of a good conscience. Both are creative in their effect on the imagination, and thus men dwell with shapes of gloom or radiant forms of fancy. Both are prophetic, and tend to realize themselves. This is a profound truth. For imagination in turn influences the will, and we reap the guilty fears or the pure hopes our habits Bowed.

IV. THE RESULTS OF TRIAL AND TROUBLE. (Verse 25.) The storm sweeps by and overturns the hollow and untrue; while they who are based on the righteousness of God remain unmoved (comp. Mat 7:24, seqq.). We do not know a man’s principles nor whether he has any, until the time of suffering. Theory is one thing, fact another; it is not the statement of the engineer, but the trial of winter’s floods that must prove the soundness of the bridge. We have to learn the truth of life in theory first; but we do not make it our own until it is put to the test of experience. Experience throws us back upon the truth of the theory, enriches our conception of it, and should enable us to teach it with the greater confidence to others.J.

Pro 10:26

The lazy man a nuisance

I. HE IRRITATES HIS EMPLOYERS. The images of the teeth set on edge, the blinded, smarting eyes, give the thought with great force and great naivete.

II. HE IS WORSE THAN USELESS. The Bible shows a great aversion from idleness, sluggishness (Pro 6:6, seqq.; Pro 12:27; Pro 19:24; Pro 22:13).

1. Laziness is a vice and the parent of worse.

2. The swift discharge of duty is acceptable to God and man.J.

Pro 10:27-32

Impression by tautology

These verses contain mostly iterations of maxims already delivered (on Pro 10:27, see on Pro 3:2; Pro 9:11; on verse 28, see on verse 24; Pro 11:7). That religion is a protector to the man of good conscience, while overthrow awaits the ungodly, again brings out an often expressed thought with emphasis (Pro 10:30; see on Pro 10:25; Pro 3:21). Pro 10:31, Pro 10:32 again contrast the speech of the good and the wicked; the former like a sappy and fruitful tree, the latter destined to oblivion; the former appealing to the sense of beauty and grace, the latter shocking by its deformity.

I. THERE IS A SAMENESS IN GOD. He does not and cannot change. He is invariable substance, unalterable will and law.

II. THERE IS A SAMENESS IN NATURE. The heavens above us, with all their worlds, the great mountains and features of the landscape, the daily sights of sunrise and evening, form and colour. Abraham and Solomon looked upon essentially the same world with ourselves.

III. THERE IS A SAMENESS IN HUMAN NATUREits passions, strength, and weakness. The same types of character appear and reappear in every age in relatively new forms. And it is proverbial that history repeats itself.

IV. THE ESSENTIAL RELATIONS OF MAN TO GOD MUST BE THE SAME IN EVERY AGE. Hence the teacher’s deliverances must constantly recur to the same great points.

V. THAT WHICH VARIES IS THE TRIVIAL OR TRANSIENT ELEMENT; THAT WHICH DOES NOT VARY IS THE SUBLIME AND THE ETERNAL.

VI. EVERY TRUE TEACHER MAY THUS VARY THE FORM OF HIS INSTRUCTION AS MUCH AS HE WILL. Let him see to it that he works in unison with God and nature, experience, the conscience, and leaves a few great impressions firmly fixed in the mind. “Line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.”J.

HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON

Pro 10:1

Our joy in our children: a sermon to parents

We may take it for granted, as commonly understood

I. THAT THE FOUNDATION DUTY AND INTEREST, with us all, is to be in a right relation, personally, with God. Until we are right with God we must be wrong altogether. Then we must contend

II. THAT THE QUESTION OF NEXT VITAL CONSIDERATION is the character of our children, it is conceivable that God might have placed the human world on an entirely different basis than that of the family. But he has rested it on the human home. This is that decision of our Creater which makes the greatest difference to us and to our life. How much it is to those who are parents that they are such! How would their life have been another and a smaller thing without that pure and sacred bond! What deep chasms of experience has it opened! what fountains of feeling has it unsealed! what secrets of life has it unlocked! What heights of joy, what depths of sorrow, has it made possible to the heart!

III. THAT THERE IS A SONSHIP WHICH GLADDENS, as there is one that grieves, the parental heart. Who is the wise son (of the text)? Not necessarily the learned, or the clever, or the prosperous son. A child may be any or all of these, and yet may be a grief and not a joy, a shame and not an honour, to his parents. It is he who has learnt wisdom of God, who has sat diligently and effectually at the feet of that great Teacher who came to be the Wisdom of God. It is he

(1) who has found his home and his heritage in a Divine Father;

(2) Who has secured an unfailing Friend in a Divine Redeemer;

(3) who has stored his mind with eternal truth and filled his soul with everlasting principles;

(4) who is building up his Character by the teaching, and regulating his life by the will, of Jesus Christ, This is the son of whom the father will never be ashamed, who will not use the language which it would pain him to hear, nor choose the friends he would be unwilling to acknowledge, nor be guilty of the conduct it would wound him to witness. This is the son on whose character and on whose life, in all its phases and developments, he looks with profoundest gratitude and unspeakable delight.

IV. THAT THE CHARACTER OF OUR CHILDREN depends mainly on ourselves. They will:

1. Believe what we teach them.

2. Follow the example we set them.

3. Catch the spirit we manifest in their presence.C.

Pro 10:2-6

Four conditions of well being

That we may enjoy a prosperity which is truly human, we must do well and be well in three directionsin our circumstances, in our mind (our intellectual powers), and in our character. And that which tends to build up on the one hand, or to destroy on the other hand, will be found to affect us in these three spheres. The conditions of well being as suggested by the passage are

I. RECTITUDE. (Pro 10:2, Pro 10:3.) Righteousness before God is essential to all prosperity:

1. Because, if we deliberately choose the path of iniquity, we shall have to work against the arm of Omnipotence. “He casteth away the substance of the wicked” (Pro 10:3).

2. Because, on the contrary, if we walk in moral and spiritual integrity, we may count on the direction and even the interposition of the Divine hand. “The Lord will not suffer,” etc. (Pro 10:3).

3. Because righteousness means virtue and prudence; it means those qualities which work for health and for security, which “relieve from death” (Pro 10:2).

4. Because the gains of ungodliness are never satisfactory; “they profit nothing.”

(1) They are unattended by the joy of gratitude, and they are (often) accompanied by the miseries of self-reproach;

(2) they are spoilt by the condemnation of the good and the holy;

(3) they are apt to be dispersed far more freely than they are acquired;

(4) they cannot and they do not satisfy the soul, though they may continue to fill the treasury,they leave the heart empty, aching and hungering for a good which is beyond, for a blessing which is from above.

II. DILIGENCE. (Pro 10:4.)

1. The inattentive and sluggish worker is constantly descending; he is on an incline, and is going downwards. All things connected with his vocation, or with his own mind, or with his moral and spiritual condition, are gradually but seriously suffering; decline, decay, disease, have set in and will spread from day to day, from year to year.

2. The earnest and energetic worker is continually ascending; he is moving upwards; his hand is “making rich”it may be in material wealth, or (what is better) in useful and elevating knowledge, or (what is best) in the acquisitions of spiritual culture, in the virtues and graces of Christian character.

III. WAKEFULNESS. (Pro 10:5.) This is a very important qualification; we must be ready to avail ourselves of the hour of opportunity. To gather when the corn is ripe is necessary if the toil of the husbandman is to bear its fruit; to let the crop alone when it is ready for the sickle is to waste the labour of many weeks. Readiness to reap is of as much consequence as willingness to work. The wakeful eye must be on every field of human activity, or energy and patience will be thrown away. We must covet and must cultivate mental alertness, spiritual promptitude, readiness to strike when the hour has come, or we shall miss much of “the fruit of our labour.” It is the general who knows when to give the word to “charge” that wins the battle.

IV. PEACEABLENESS. (Pro 10:6.) The consequences of violence shut the mouth of the wicked. He that “seeks peace and ensues it will see good days (1Pe 3:10, 1Pe 3:11).C.

Pro 10:7

The memory of the just.

It is a fact that the name of the good man is fragrant, and that long after his departure there lingers in the memories and hearts of men a sense of loss, a feeling

“Which is but akin to pain
And resembles sorrow only
As the mist resembles the rain;”

a feeling of tender regret not unmingled with sacred joy and reverent gratitude, This fact is

I. A STRENGTH TO THE JUST MAN WHILE HE LIVES. “What has posterity done for us?” asks the cynic. “The idea of posterity has done great things for us,” replies the moralist. That idea and the hope to which it gives birth have done much to fortify virtue, to establish character, to enlarge and ennoble the good man’s life. That thought has been fruitful of earnest work, and has helped men to gird themselves for heroic suffering. Good men have been better, noble lives have been nobler, because we care to be tenderly remembered and kindly spoken of when we are no longer among the living.

II. A COMFORT TO THOSE WHO MOURN HIM.

1. It is true that the more admirable and loving a man is, the greater is our loss when he is taken from us.

2. But it is also true that they are blessed who lose the worthiest and the best.

3. For the sorrow we feel at such loss is a very sacred thing; it comes from God himself; it can be borne with simple and pure resignation; it is unembittered with the most painful regrets; it works for the renewal and purification of our spirit and character.

4. And it is attended with a very precious mitigation; we have a pure and holy joy in the recollection of what the departed one was, what he did, how he laboured and triumphed, how many hearts he comforted, how many lives he brightened, what he was to ourselves. And these remembrances bring sunshine over the shadowed fields; they sweeten the bitter cup; they give “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.“

III. AN INSPIRATION TO ALL WHO KNEW HIM. For the completion of a true and godly life is an inspiration.

1. It is another proof that goodness can triumph over every obstacle and persevere to the end.

2. It is an unspoken, but not inaudible summons, saying, “Follow me.”

3. It is a thing of beauty as well as worth; and it attracts all who have an eye to see as well as a heart to feel.

(1) Resolve that, whatever else you leave (or fail to leave) behind, you will bequeath the memory of a just man; that is the best legacy to leave.

(2) Be drawn, as by a Powerful fascination, toward the character and the destiny of the good and wise who have gone before you.C.

Pro 10:8, Pro 10:10, Pro 10:11, Pro 10:14, Pro 10:18-21, Pro 10:31, Pro 10:32

The service of speech, etc

“Man is a talking animal,” we say. But if we are distinguished from the brute creation by the mere fact of speech, how truly are we divided from one another by the use we make of that human faculty! To what height of worthiness one man may rise, and what inestimable service he may render, but to what depth of wrong another man may fall, and what mischief he may work, by the use of his tongue!

I. THE SERVICE OF SPEECH. “By our words” we may do great things, as our Master has told us, and as his apostle reminds us (see Mat 12:37; Jas 3:9).

1. We may give deep and pure gratification (Pro 10:32; and see Ecc 12:10). We may speak (or read) words which shall be

(1) charming, soothing, comforting, encouraging, even inspiring, in the ear of man; and also

(2) pleasing and satisfying to our Divine Master.

2. We may follow in the footsteps of the Divine. For “the mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom” (Pro 10:31). We may utter in the ears, and may thus convey to the minds and hearts of men, the truths which are nothing less than the wisdom of God. Thus we may be speaking to others the very thoughts and making known the will of God. We ourselves may be, on our scale and in our sphere, like the Lord whom we serve and follow, “the Wisdom of God” (1Co 1:24, 80).

3. We may enrich the life of our fellow men. “The tongue of the just is as choice silver” (Pro 10:20). And surely fine thoughts, brilliant images, sound principles, sustaining truths, elevating conceptions of God, charitable ideas of men,these are more enlarging and enriching than many pounds of silver or many piles of gold.

4. We may nourish the soul. “The lips of the righteous feed many” (Pro 10:21). Their words are spiritual bread which “strengtheneth man’s heart,” and makes him able to watch, to work, to battle, to endure. They are the wine which gives new life when he is ready to perish (Pro 31:6), which restores him in the languor of doubt and difficulty, and fills his soul with hopefulness and energy.

5. We may thus contribute to the true and real life of men. Our mouth will be “a fountain of life” (Pro 10:11, Revised Version). Whithersoever the river of Divine wisdom, of Christian truth, runneth, there will be that spiritual upspringing which is the true life of man.

II. THE MISCHIEF OF ITS ABUSE. The abuse of the power of speech, the talking which is idle and vain, is a great and sore evil.

1. It brings the speaker into contempt; he is thought and spoken of as “a prating fool” (Pro 10:8, Pro 10:10), and he comes under the contempt of the wise.

2. It involves men in sin. “In the multitude of words,” etc. (Pro 10:19). The man that is ever speaking with little forethought is sure to violate truth and righteousness before many hours have passed.

3. It works mischief of many kinds (Pro 10:14 and Pro 10:18). It is sure to end in slander, in the robbery of reputation. The mouth of the foolish is “a present destruction” (Revised Version). The habit of bad speech, especially if it be that of falsehood, or lewdness, or profanity, is a “present destruction,”

(1) in that it constitutes a real calamity; for in the sight of God there can be few things worse than such a pitiful abuse of the powers he has entrusted to us. It is also a “present destruction,”

(2) in that it leads with a fatal swiftness to the deterioration and corruption of those in whose hearing it is uttered.C.

Pro 10:9

(See homily on Pro 11:3.)C.

Pro 10:12

The conquest of love

“Love covereth all sins.” It does this in that

I. IT CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF MANY SHORTCOMINGS.

1. On the one band, many proprieties will not atone for the absence of love. We are wholly unsatisfied if one who sustains to us a very near relationship (husband, wife, son, daughter, etc.) is scrupulously correct in behaviour if love be wanting from the heart. Nothing can compensate for that. The kindness that is not prompted by affection is of a very poor order, and it does not satisfy the soul.

2. On the other hand, the presence of pure and strong affection makes many things tolerable which in themselves are hard to bear. Not that any one has a right to excuse himself for transgressions of law, of whatever kind they may be, on the ground of his tenderness of heart. It is a complete and dangerous misreading of our Lord’s word (Luk 7:47) to suppose that he meant that sins are forgiven because of the presence of much love; it is the presence of much love that is the proof, not the ground, of forgiveness (see homily in loc.). But it is a patent and common fact of human life that we can not only bear with one another, but can love and honour one another when love dwells in the heart and shines in the countenance and breathes and burns in the words and actions, even though there may be much faultiness and many infirmities that have to be forgiven.

II. IT IS PREPARED WITH GENEROUS INTERPRETATIONS of much misbehaviour. Where a hard, cast-iron severity sees nothing but transgression, love sees much extenuation or even complete excuse; or it goes beyond that, and sees, or believes that it sees, a worthy and not an unworthy motive. It magnifies or invents a reason which puts conduct in another light, and makes it appear pardonable, if not creditable. It has quite a different account to give of the transaction; it is that which only generous love could see and could supply.

III. IT HAS A LARGE FORGIVENESS FOR EVEN GREAT OFFENCES. The Divine love “abundantly pardons.” It blots out the worst misdeeds and pardons the negligence and impiety of whole periods of a sinful life. The human love that is likest to the Divine can overlook very dark misdoings, and take back to its embrace those who have gone away and astray into a very “far country” of sin.

IV. IT REDEEMS AND RESTORES. When law does not avail, love will succeed in winning the erring to wiser and better ways. It can lay its hand upon the sinner with a touch that will tell and will triumph. It has a power to break the obduracy of guilt for which violence is utterly inadequate. It alone can lead the rebellious spirit into the gate of penitence and faith, and make its future life a life of obedience and wisdom. Thus in the best way, winning the noblest of all victories, it “covers sin” by conquering it, by leading the heart to the love of righteousness and the practice of purity. Where the rough winds of penalty will fail, the soft, sweet sunshine of love will succeed most excellently.C.

Pro 10:19

(See homily on Pro 29:11.)C.

Pro 10:22

Divine enrichment

There is no inconsistency in the teaching of the text with that of Pro 10:4. For God blesses us by means of our own efforts and energy; indeed, we are more truly and fully enriched of God when his blessing comes to us as the consequence of our faith and labour.

I. THE OBJECTS AT WHICH WE AIM. Those without which we are apt to consider ourselves poor. They are these:

1. Material substance, or (as we commonly put it to ourselves) money.

2. Honour. A good measure of regard, duly and clearly paid by our fellows.

3. Power. The holding of a position in which we are able to decide and to direct.

4. Learning, or unusual sagacity; that intellectual superiority which enables us to lead or to command.

II. THE CONDITION UNDER WHICH THESE MAY BE REGARDED AS THE BLESSING OF GOD. This is when we can truly say that there is “no sorrow,” i.e. no real cause for regret that we have come to possess and to enjoy them. But when is this?

1. When they have been acquired without any mason for self-reproachjustly, purely, honourably.

2. When we have not lost as much as we have gained by their acquisition. We may lose so much in time, or in health and energy, or in wise and elevating friendship, or in the opportunity for worship and service, that the balance in the sight of heavenly wisdom may be against us.

3. When they do not become a heavy burden which we can ill bear. This they often do become. Frequently wealth becomes more of a burden than a blessing to its possessor. He would be a much lighter-hearted and less care-encumbered man if he had not so much substance to dispose of and to preserve. And so of power and influence.

4. When they do not become a snare to us, leading us into pride, or into a selfish separateness and unneighbourliness, or into a guilty self-indulgence, or into “an unenlightened and unchristian disdain of the common people,” or into an overweening and fatal miscalculation of our own power and importance, or into a deadening and suicidal worldliness. These great evils may not mean present “sorrow,‘ as we ordinarily understand that term. But they are such evils as our Divine Father sees with Divine regret; they are such as our heavenly Friend would fain deliver us from; and when riches of any kind end in them, they cannot be said to be the result of his blessing. Moreover, they all lead on and down, sooner or later, to grievous ends,; those who yield to them are on their way to “pierce themselves through with many sorrows” (1Ti 6:10). Hence

III. THE PROFOUND WISDOM OF MODERATION in all human and earthly ambitions. Who shall say how much of riches he can stand? Who can tell where that point is to be found, on the other side of which is spiritual peril and ultimate “sorrow” of the worst kind? “Give me neither poverty nor riches” is the wish and the prayer of the wise and reverent.C.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Pro 10:1. The proverbs of Solomon Here properly the book of Proverbs begins: What has gone before is a kind of preface or introduction to the work. Solomon has exhorted his disciple to the study of wisdom, by the most interesting motives; the beauty, the utility, the necessity of wisdom. He has shewn him the dangers which they run who neglect it: he has cautioned him against debauchery and libertinism. After this he comes to those moral sentences which were his principal design. See the introductory note to this book. There is a great variety in these sentences; which are generally delivered by way of antithesis; i.e. comparing opposites one with another. No great connexion is to be expected in them; their instruction is various and extensive, almost every verse being a lesson by itself. Bishop Hall has been at great pains to digest and methodize these proverbs, which he has done under the heads of ethics, politics, and economics. See the first volume of his works, p. 181.

A wise son maketh a glad father This first sentence seems not to have been casually set forth in the front of the rest; because nothing contributes so much to the happiness of mankind, as a religious care about the education of children; which parents are here admonished to attend to, if they desire their children should not prove a grief and shame to them. Lord Bacon thinks that the gladness and heaviness which are in fathers and mothers, according as their children prove good or bad, are here so accurately distinguished by Solomon, that he would represent a wise and well-governed son, to be chiefly a comfort to the father, who knows the value of wisdom better perhaps than the mother (which account the Hebrews also give of this matter), and therefore rejoices more at the towardliness of his son; which he not only better understands, but has taken perhaps so much care about his education, that the good fruits of it give him a greater joy than they can do to the mother. She, on the other side, is more grieved and discomforted at the calamity of the son; both because the affection of a mother is more soft and tender, and perhaps because she may be conscious to herself that by too much indulgence she hath tainted and corrupted his tender years. See Advancement of Learning, book 8: cap. 2.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

II. ORIGINAL NUCLEUS OF THE COLLECTIONGENUINE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON

Ethical maxims, precepts and admonitions with respect to the most diverse relations of human life

(Proverbs mainly in the form of antithetic distichs)

Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16

1. Exhibition of the difference between the pious and the ungodly, and their respective lots in life

Proverbs 10-15

a) Comparison between the pious and the ungodly with respect to their life and conduct, in general. Proverbs 10

1Proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son maketh glad his father,
but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

2Treasures of wickedness do not profit,

but righteousness delivereth from death.

3Jehovah will not suffer the righteous to famish [E. V.: the soul of the righteous],

but the craving of the wicked He disappointeth.

4He becometh poor that worketh with an idle hand,

but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son,

but he that sleepeth in harvest is a bad son.

6Blessings are upon the head of the just,

but the mouth of the wicked hideth violence.

7The memory of the just is blessed,

but the name of the wicked shall rot.

8Whoso is wise in heart will receive precepts,

but he who is of foolish lips shall fall.

9He that walketh uprightly walketh securely,

but he that perverteth his way shall be made known.

10He that winketh with the eye causeth trouble,

and he that is of foolish lips is overthrown.

11A fountain of life is the mouth of the righteous,

but the mouth of the wicked hideth violence.

12Hate stirreth up strife,

but love covereth all transgressions.

13On the lips of the man of understanding wisdom is found,

but a rod (is) for the back of the fool.

14Wise men store up knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool is a near (speedy) destruction.

15The rich mans wealth is his strong city,

the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16The labour of the righteous (tendeth) to life,

the gain of the wicked to sin.

17A way to life is he who heedeth correction,

he who resisteth reproof leadeth astray.

18He that hideth hatred (hath) lying lips,

and he who spreadeth slander is a fool.

19In much talking transgression is not wanting,

but he that governeth his lips doeth wisely.

20Choice silver is the tongue of the righteous,

the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

21The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for want of knowledge.

22Jehovahs blessing,it maketh rich,

and labour addeth nothing thereto.

23It is as sport to a fool to do mischief,

but to the man of understanding wisdom.

24What the wicked feareth cometh upon him,

but the desire of the righteous is granted them.

25When a storm sweepeth by the wicked is no more,

but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

26As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

so is the sluggard to them that send him.

27The fear of Jehovah multiplieth days,

but the years of the wicked are shortened.

28The expectation of the righteous is gladness,

but the hope of the wicked shall perish.

29Jehovahs way is a bulwark to the righteous,

but destruction to evil doers.

30The righteous shall never be moved,

but the wicked shall not abide in the land.

31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom,

but the perverse tongue shall be rooted out.

32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

but the mouth of the wicked perverseness.

GRAMMATICAL AND CRITICAL

Pro 10:1.[; cited by Btt ( 943, c, e; 950 e) as an illustration of the employment of the Imperf. to express what must be from the very nature of the case,Fiens debitum,must gladden.A.]

Pro 10:2.[: as above, with the meaning cannot profit; 950, c, .A.]

Pro 10:3.; an example of the Fiens solitum, what is wont to be; 950, b.]The LXX, arbitrarily assimilating the language of the first and second clauses, read in the second , for they translate the life of the ungodly, . [ has been quite variously rendered. The E. V. translates substance, the object of the desire of the wicked. Luther, following the insidias of the Vulg., renders by Schindcrei=exactions or oppression. Holden translates iniquity. N., St., and M. agree with our author in retaining the simple meaning craving, or greedy desire. So Gesen., Fuerst, etc.A.]

Ver.5[ is taken by Gesen., Fuerst, Stuart as intransitive, in the sense of acting basely. N., M., II. agree with the E. V. in deriving it from a different radical idea in the verb, and making it a causative Hiphil. The difference in the final import is not very great, yet the former conception of the word appears to have the best warrant.A.]

Pro 10:8[, Fiens licitum, is disposed to receive, etc. Btt, 950, c.A.]

Pro 10:21. is here stat. constr. not of the adj. , as e.g. above in Pro 10:13, but of the noun , as the old translators correctly judged. Bertheau is therefore wrong in rendering through one void of understanding. Fuerst takes our authors view; so Btt. (794), who would interpret Pro 10:10 in the same way, the back of folly.A.]

EXEGETICAL

1. General preliminary remark. The main division of the collection of proverbs that begins with chap. 10, by the scattered isolation and the mosaic-like grouping of its individual elements contrasts quite strongly with the longer and well compacted proverbial discourses of the first nine chapters. And yet one would go too far in assuming an entirely planless and unregulated accumulation of the proverbs contained in chaps. 1022, and failing to recognize at least an attempt of the collector to secure a methodical grouping of the rich store of maxims that he has to communicate. Hitzigs assumption, it is true, seems altogether artificial, and tenable only as the result of violent critical dealing,viz., that chaps. 1021 may be resolved into four sections of equal length, of about 90 verses each; 1) chaps. 1012 (Pro 13:1 making a commencement parallel to Pro 10:1); chap. 1315:32 (in which division Pro 13:23 is to be stricken out to make 91 verses, as in the preceding section); Pro 15:33 to Pro 19:3 (where by omitting Pro 16:25 and inserting two verses from the LXX after Pro 16:17 the number of 89 verses must be reached that shall correspond with the section following); and Pro 19:4 to Pro 21:31. He also assumes that within these four principal subdivisions groups of verses symmetrically constructed of six, seven and eight verses respectively, succeed one another. But although such a construction according to definite relations of numbers is not demonstrable, or at least is demonstrable only in single instances (e.g., Pro 15:33 to Pro 16:15; see remarks on this passage), still the existence of larger or smaller groups of proverbs of similar import cannot be denied; and many of these groups relating to one and the same subject are very probably attached one to another according to a definite plan or construction of ideas. And yet these in most cases stand in a loose co-ordination, and withal quite frequently appear accompanied or interspersed by single verses that are altogether isolated. In the chapter before us groups of this sort, governed by a certain unity of idea, may be found in Pro 10:2-25; Pro 10:27-30. Pro 10:1; Pro 10:26; Pro 10:31-32 stand isolated. Hitzigs attempt to construct from Pro 10:1 to Pro 11:3 exactly five groups of seven proverbs each appears untenable after an unprejudiced examination of the real relations of the matter.With reference to the contents of the six groups of verses, together with the individual verses accompanying them, and also with respect to central thoughts that may possibly be drawn from these elements, see the Doctrinal and Ethical notes.

2. Pro 10:1. A wise son maketh glad his father, etc.This thought, which is quite general, is plainly designed to serve as an introduction to the entire collection of proverbs that succeeds; comp. Pro 1:8. As in that instance, and as in Pro 15:20; Pro 17:25; Pro 23:24 there is found here an attempt, by means of an antithetic parallelism, at Metalepsis or the distribution of the propositions between father and mother in detail. [Ingenious expositions of the diverse effects of different kinds of conduct upon the father and the mother, like that of Lord Bacon in the Advancement of Learning, and more elaborately in the De Augmentis Scientiarum, overlook the nature of the Hebrew parallelismA.] Grief, anxiety, derived from (moestus esse, dolere), LXX: ; comp. Pro 14:13; Pro 17:21; Psa 119:28.

3. Pro 10:2-7. Six verses or three pairs of verses relating to the earthly lot of the just and the unjust, the diligent and the sluggish.Treasures of wickedness profit not.Because they cannot avert the sudden and unhappy death that awaits the wicked; comp. Pro 10:25-27. With the second clause compare Pro 11:4-19.

Pro 10:3. Jehovah will not suffer the righteous to famish.Literally, the spirit of the righteous; for this is the sense which in agreement with most interpreters we must find here, and not the desire, the craving of the righteous, as Elster thinks, appealing for confirmation to Pro 6:30; Pro 23:2. For this strong expression is inappropriate before we come to the antithesis in the second member, and here the idea is plainly enough expressed by the word , longing (comp. , Deu 12:15; 1Sa 23:30). Compare Pro 11:6.

Pro 10:4. He becometh poor that worketh with an idle hand., not a deceitful, crafty hand, but an idle, sluggish hand, manus remissa (Vulg.); comp. Pro 12:24; Pro 12:27; Pro 19:15; Jer 48:10., for which the LXX and Vulg. must have read the substantive (, egestas), is the third Sing. Perf. Kal [or the participle] with the scriptio plena (like in Hos 10:14), and with the signification he is impoverished, inops fit; comp. Psa 34:10. With the phrase , to stir the hand, to work with the hand, comp. Jer 48:10.But the hand of the diligentliterally, of the sharpened, comp. Pro 12:24.

Pro 10:5. He that gathereth in summer is a wise manlit., is a son that doeth wisely, and so in the second member, a son that doeth badly. These same predicates stand contrasted also in Pro 14:35, in that case to define more closely the term servant, but here as attributes of the son, which designation is chosen in this instance rather than man, probably because the heavy labors of the field which are here spoken of devolve especially upon the younger men, and also because idleness is particularly ruinous to youth (Elster).For the general sentiment comp. also Pro 6:8-9.

Pro 10:6. Benedictions (come) upon the head of the just, but the mouth of the wicked hideth violence.In this strictly literal rendering of the verse there is no sharp antithesis between the first and second clauses, for which reason many, following the LXX and Vulg., reverse the relation of subject and object in the second clause, and either translate with Dderlein, Dathe, etc., wickedness closeth the mouth of the vicious, or, inasmuch as the noun cannot possibly be used in this sense of wickedness, evil disposition, explain with Umbreit among others, the mouth of the profligate crime covereth. [E. V.: violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.] (This is substantially the explanation of Hitzig also, except that he points instead of , and takes the noun contrary to usage in the sense of pain, ruin; the mouth of the wicked is covered with sorrow.) [Words. gives a doubtful support to this view.] But why in just this passage and the second hemistich of Pro 10:11 which corresponds literally with it, it should be particularly the mouth and not the face of the wicked that is named as the object to be covered with crime, is not readily seen; and to read face () instead of mouth () in accordance with Psa 44:16; Jer 51:51, would evidently not answer on account of the double occurrence of the expression. Therefore, with Bertheau, Elster, etc. [N., ST., and M. in a qualified way], we should hold fast the above explanation as the simplest and most obvious, and accordingly reckon our verse among the exceptions, which, moreover, are not very rare, to that antithetic mode of constructing propositions which altogether predominates in the division of the book now before us. [Rueetschi, in the Stud, und Krit., 1868, I., 135, not only agrees with our author in his construction of the verse, but endeavors more fully to justify the parallelism by the following explanation. While the righteous, who is himself for others a fountain of life and blessing (Pro 10:11), nothing but love and fidelity, is himself also to expect blessing (Pro 10:7), the wicked has in himself only destruction; he hides it, covers it, it is true (comp. , Pro 10:18), with his mouth, yet has it in him (Psa 5:9); and this very fact, that he covers in himself ruin for others, turns the blessing away from him.]

Pro 10:7.The name of the wicked rotteth, strictly will not or moulder, i.e., the memory of the wicked not only disappears quickly and surely, but also so as to excite sensations of abhorrence and disgust in other men (like ill smelling mould).

4. Pro 10:8-10. Three proverbs bearing upon the contrast between wise men and fools.He who is of foolish lips is overthrown.With the wisely disposed (in the first clause) there is significantly contrasted the foolish speaker, the froward talker, and that, too, with the designation suggested by the organ of his foolish discourse, the fool in lips. The verb (), for the most part misunderstood by the older translators, can express only the meaning of being brought to a downfall, being overthrown, prcipitari, and accordingly sets forth the consequence of that refusal to receive commandments which characterizes the fool in contrast with the wise man. To secure a stronger antithesis to the verb of the first clause Hitzig reads or , casts them away, i.e. the commandments. But it is precisely the correspondence with the 2d clause of Pro 10:10, where Hitzig must admit the passive meaning of the verb, that makes it certain that this is here also the intended meaning; for such verbal repetitions of whole or of half verses are among the fancies of the author of this division of our book; see above, remarks on Pro 10:6. [The wise speaks little, but hears much: receives commands; therefore it goes well with him (Pro 10:9; Pro 10:1 st clause; Pro 3:1 sq.); but he who is of foolish lips, who by his words shows himself a fool, is ever talking and not receiving instruction, is ruined; literally, is overthrown. It is in general a peculiar charm of many proverbs that the parallelism is not perfectly close, but it remains the function of the reader to seek out the intermediate thoughts, and to make the deductions. Rueetschi, as cited above].

Pro 10:9. Is made manifest, lit., is made known, i.e. as a sinner deserving punishment; an allusion to the judicial strictness of God, the All-seeing, [so Wordsw.], (the verb, therefore, not used as in Pro 12:16). Hitzig strangely renders made wiser, as though the Niphal were here passive of the Hiphil. [Rueetschi again (as cited above, p. 136) agrees with Zckler, and thus develops the antithesis: he adopts crooked ways in order, as he thinks, to be able to practice iniquity more secure and unobserved; but he is ever known and exposed, ho must himself always fear recognition, and this gives to his walk insecurity].

Pro 10:10. He that winketh with the eye. Comp. Pro 6:13, where as here the winking with the eye immediately follows the mention of crooked and perverse action. Instead of the 2d clause, which is identical with the 2d clause of Pro 10:8, and which here yields no antithetic parallelism to the 1st clause, Kennicott, Dathe, Bertheau, Elster prefer the very different reading of the LXX: (but he that rebuketh boldly maketh peace). This however appears rather to be an attempted emendation, the result of well-meaning reflection than the restoration of an original Hebrew text. We must here again assume a momentary departure of the poet from his ordinary strictly antithetical construction of his sentences. In connection with this, however, we are not to give to the verb conjecturally the meaning of stumbling or of groping blindly (Hitzig), but that which is found also in Pro 10:8, having a fall, self-destruction (Umbreit). [Here again Rueetschi comes to the defence of the poets antithesis, with the explanation he that winketh, the false, causes sorrow, produces vexation to himself, and he who in his folly openly utters evil falls. The results differ according to the nature of his wickedness; vexation when he has done wrong secretly, overthrow, destruction, when he has done it openly (as above cited, p. 136)].

5. Pro 10:11-14. Two pairs of sentences concerning the contrast between good and evil, wisdom and folly, associated by the mention which is common to the first and last proverb, of the mouth of those in whom the contrast appears (as the preceding group was characterized by the mention of the lips in Pro 10:8; Pro 10:10).A fountain of life is the mouth of the righteous, on account of the hearty, edifying, loving character of its utterances. For this figure compare Pro 8:14; Pro 18:4. For the 2d clause see remarks above on Pro 10:6.

Pro 10:12. Hate stirreth up strife, lit., disputes, litigations; comp. Pro 6:14.All transgressions love covereth over, by ignoring them, by palliating words, by considerate and conciliatory demeanor; comp. Pro 17:9; Jam 5:20; 1Pe 4:8; 1Co 13:4.[Trapp: Love hath a large mantle].

Pro 10:13. A rod for the fools back, i.e. merited punishment overtakes him, the man void of understanding whose lips lack wisdom (comp. Pro 26:3; Pro 19:29). The imperfect and suggestive form of the antithesis is like that in vers, 6 and 8.

Pro 10:14. Wise men reserve knowledge, lit., conceal knowledge, i.e. husband the knowledge and understanding which they possess for the right time and place, do not squander it in unseasonable talk and babbling (comp. Pro 10:8). [So W., N., St., and M.]. In the parallel passage Pro 13:23 the synonymous verb to cover () corresponds with the one here used. Comp. also Mal 2:7.Is a near destruction, i.e. is ever inclined to break forth with its foolish suggestions, and thereby to bring upon itself and upon others alarm and even destruction. Comp. the sentiment of Pro 13:8, which although indeed somewhat differently constructed is still in general similar. [Near is an adjective, and the rendering should be more distinct than the ambiguous and misleading translation of the E. V. The mouth of the wicked is not simply passively near to being destroyed; it is a quickly destroying agency.A.]

6. Pro 10:15-21. Seven proverbs mostly relating to earthly good, its worth, and the means of its attainment,connected with the two preceding groups (although only loosely and externally) by the destruction of Pro 10:15, and the allusion to the lips in Pro 10:18-19. With the 1st clause of Pro 10:15 comp. Pro 18:11; Sir 40:26; and Ecc 7:12.The destruction of the poor is their poverty, i.e., on account of their destitution there is every instant threatening them an utter destruction or the sundering of all their relations; they therefore come to nothing, they are continually exposed to the danger of a complete ruin in all their circumstances, while to the rich man his means secure a sure basis and a strong protection in all the vicissitudes of life. Naturally the author is here thinking of wealth well earned by practical wisdom; and this is at the same time a means in the further efforts of wisdom; and again, of a deserved poverty which while the consequence of foolish conduct, always causes one to sink deeper in folly and moral need. Comp. the ver. following. Hitzig here following Jer 48:39 takes this destruction () subjectively, as equivalent to consternation, terror, [Noyes], which view, however, is opposed by the use of the expression in the preceding verse and in Pro 10:29.

Pro 10:16. The labor of the righteous, his acquisitions, his earnings, comp. 2Jn 1:8.Tendeth to life, comp. Pro 11:19 and also Pro 16:8. The contrast to this, tendeth to sin, includes the idea not fully expressed, and accordingly to all misfortune and ruin as the result of sin. Hitzig, to expiation, i.e. to making good the losses which his sins bring upon him as just penalties (with a reference to Zec 14:19; Jer 17:3); Schultens, Arnoldi, Umbreit, etc., to downfall, to misfortune. Both expositions fail to conform to the usual signification of .

Pro 10:17. Away to life is he who heedeth correction. A way to life, (a well-known expression like a way, or path of life in Pro 5:6, and therefore not to be changed by a new punctuation into , a traveller to life, as Ziegler and Ewald propose); so the wise observer of good instruction is here named because he also guides others to life, in contrast with the , him who misleads, the despiser of wholesome discipline and correction, who not only fails of the right way himself, but shows himself an evil guide to others also (Mat 15:14). [The rendering of the E. V., is in the way, although followed by H., N., M., W., is not full and exhaustive enough. Such a man is not merely in the way to life; he is a guide, by a bolder figure he is a way to other men.A.] The intransitive conception of this participle (LXX, Vulg., Luther, and also Umbreit, Ewald, etc.), may if necessary be reached by modifying the punctuation (Hithp., Hitzig); but the going astray even then does not correspond remarkably with the way to life, so far as this expression is correctly understood. [This sentence is an example how sometimes that which is simplest and most obvious can be persistently missed: these words so simple and true have been refined upon because the real idea was not taken. The meaning is simply this: example is efficacious; etc. Rueetschi, as above, p. 137].

Pro 10:18. He that hideth hatred (hath) lying lips, strictly, is lips of falsehood, i.e. is a man of deceitful lips. [Here again the E. V. sacrifices much of the original. Lying lips is not here instrumental; it is the predicate. So H., N., S., M., W.A.] Comp. for this immediate personification of the sinning organ, Pro 12:19; Pro 12:22, where in the first instance the lying tongue and then the lying lips appear personified. For the sentiment comp. Pro 26:24.. Peculiarly hard and arbitrary is Hitzigs exposition; that instead of (falsehood) we should read (union), and that the expression thus resulting, close, compressed lips (?) is to be taken as the description of the deceitfully and maliciously compressed mouth of the man who is full of hate! Ewald is also arbitrary (although following the LXX); that instead of we should read (righteousness); the lips of the righteous hide hatred, i.e. cover their enmity with love (?).He who spreadeth slander is a fool. The meaning of this 2d clause does not stand in the relation of an antithesis to the preceding, but that of a climax, adding a worse case to one not so bad. If one conceals his hatred within himself he becomes a malignant flatterer; but if he gives expression to it in slander, abuse and base detraction, then as a genuine fool he brings upon himself the greatest injury. [Rueetschi objects to this, 1) that the analogy of Pro 12:19; Pro 12:22 does not justify our taking the expression lying lips in the 1st clause as the predicate, and 2) that the emphatic pronoun he () in the 2d clause is still less intelligible on this view of the structure of the verse; he regards this rather as one of the instances, of no very rare occurrence, in which the two clauses make but one proposition, and renders, whoso conceals hatred with lying lips and at the same time utters slanderhe is a fool, adding the explanation one of the most odious of vices is where one conceals hatred under fine speech, and yet slanders behind the back; such a man is in sight of God and men despised and spurned].

Pro 10:19. Transgression is not wanting. In this way is the verb to be rendered, with Umbreit, Hitzig and most others: and not with Bertheau, transgression does not vanish (as though we had here something to do with a removal or obliteration of actual guilt); only with the former rendering does the antithesis in the 2d member correspond, where it is plain that taciturnity and discretion in speech are recommended; comp. Pro 13:3; Pro 17:27-28. [Noyess translation, offence, has the fault, rare with him, of obscurity or ambiguity]. With the expression to govern the lips compare the Latin compescere linguam and the parallels from Arabic and Persian poets which Umbreit adduces in illustration of our passage.

Pro 10:20. Choice silver, as in Pro 8:19 (comp. 10) is here used to indicate a very great value.Is of no worth, literally, is as nothing, is as a trifle,a popular and proverbial circumlocution for the idea of utter nothingness or worthlessness.

Pro 10:21. Feed many, i.e. nourish and refresh many with the wholesome doctrines of godliness (comp. Ecc 12:11; Eze 34:2 sq; Act 20:28).But fools die for want of knowledge, i.e. persistent fools () are not only incompetent to become to others teachers of truth and guides to life; they are in themselves children of death for their lack of understanding.

7. Pro 10:22-25. Four proverbs relating to the conduct of the righteous and the ungodly and their respective lots. The lot of the righteous, which consists in Gods blessing which makes rich without any effort, forms the starting point of the description in Pro 10:22.And labor addeth nothing beside it, i.e. as supplementary and exterior to it, that divine blessing which is all in all, which enriches the friends of God even in sleep (comp. Psa 127:2 [and in connection with this Hupfelds comments: Naturally this is not to be taken literally, as though perchance labor in itself were cast aside, and the Oriental indolence commanded; nor again is the privilege given to the pious of being released from ordinary human toils, and of folding their hands in reliance on their powerful Friend; the aim is only, after the emphatic and one-sided manner of the proverb to make prominent the other side of the case, overlooked by restless toilers, what God does in the matter, so as to warn against the delusion that man can conquer by his toil alone, etc.]). This view is correctly taken by Jarchi, Levi Ben Gerson, Ewald, Hitzig, etc., while others (LXX, Vulg., Umbreit, Bertheau, Elster, [the E. V., H., N., ST., M.]) translate and addeth no sorrow thereto. But then instead of we should rather have had (comp. Jer 45:3).

Pro 10:23. As sport to a fool is the practice of iniquity, literally, like a laugh is it to the fool to execute evil counsel. This like sport is then to be supplied also before the 2d member; but to the man of understanding wisdom is as an enjoyment. [M. agrees with our author whose view is both more forcible and more accordant with the Hebrew idiom than that expressed in the E. V. and retained by N. and S.: a man of understanding has wisdom. More than this is meant: wisdom is his delight.A.] The verb to practice () is probably not to be supplied here before wisdom (); it is self-evident (in opposition to Hitzigs view) that wisdom is considered here as something practiced and not merely possessed. With the phrase man of understanding, the discerning man, comp. Pro 11:12.

Pro 10:24. What the wicked feareth, lit., the dread of the wicked, comp. Isa 66:4; Job 3:25; Pro 11:27.The desire of the righteous is granted them.The verb () can be regarded either as impersonal [like the German es gibt, there is: comp. Pro 13:10 and Job 37:10], or directly changed to the passive () as the Vulg., the Targums, and among recent interpreters Ewald and Hitzig, e.g., do. To supply as the subject Jehovah (Aben Ezra, Umbreit, Elster, Stuart, etc.) has its parallels indeed in Pro 13:21-22, but is here less natural than there.

Pro 10:25. When a. storm sweepeth by the wricked is no more. Thus correctly Ewald, Bertheau, Hitzig, [Holden, Stuart, Muenscher]. Against the conception of the first phrase () as a comparison, as a storm sweepeth by, so, etc. (Umbreit, Elster, [E. V., Noyes], etc.) we may urge the conjunction before , as well as the idea of an everlasting foundation in the 2d member. With the latter expression comp. Pro 10:30, and also Psa 125:1, With the first clause comp. Job 1:19; Isa 28:18-19; Pro 1:27.

8. Pro 10:26. An isolated proverb relating to the uselessness and repulsiveness of the sluggish. Comp. Pro 22:13, and also Pro 6:6 sq.; Pro 12:27; Pro 19:24.As vinegar to the teeth. So the majority correctly render, while the LXX, Pesch., Arab., etc., falsely translate the noun (, comp. Num 6:3; Psa 69:22) by sour grapes ().To them that send him. Perhaps this phrase as referring to the idea which must be supplied, the authority, the master (), comp. Pro 25:13, might be translated by his sender, his employer. Comp. Hitzig on this passage.

9. Pro 10:27-30. Four proverbs bearing upon the prosperity of the pious and the ruin of the ungodly. With Pro 10:27 comp. Pro 3:1; Pro 9:11; Pro 14:27.

Pro 10:28. The expectation of the righteous is gladness, i.e. as its object comes into possession of him who indulges it. With the 2d clause comp. Pro 6:7; Job 8:13; Psa 112:10.

Pro 10:29. Jehovahs way is a bulwark to the innocent. The meaning doubtless is, Jehovahs way in the administration of the world, His providence, His righteous and gracious rule, proves itself to the pious a strong protection and defence (comp. the strong city of Pro 10:15, also Psa 31:21; Psa 37:39; Psa 43:2, etc.) [Wordsw.: wherever he goes he is in a castle]. Only with this objective conception of Jehovahs way does the antithesis in the 2d clause agree (comp. Pro 10:14-15), and not with the subjective, which makes it religion, a devout life. Many, however, (Arnoldi, Ziegler, Umbreit, Elster, [Noyes], etc.) unite in one conception with and translate A fortress is Jehovah to the innocent (upright in his way); comp. Pro 8:6; Job 4:6. One must make his choice between the two interpretations, as both are grammatically admissible and yield essentially the same meaning.

Pro 10:30. With the first clause comp. Pro 12:3 : with the second, Pro 2:21; Psa 37:29.

10. Pro 10:31-32. Two proverbs standing isolated, treating of the mouth of the righteous and that of the ungodly and their respective utterances or fruits. The mouth of the righteous putteth forth wisdom, as the sap of a fruitful tree develops beautiful flowers and fruits; comp. the fruit of the lips, Isa 57:19 and the corresponding expression in Heb 13:16In the 2d clause this figure is abandoned, so far as respects the expression the perverse tongue; but the is destroyed reminds distinctly enough of the hewing down and dying out of unfruitful trees; comp. Mat 3:10; Mat 7:19.

Pro 10:32. Know what is acceptable, i.e., are familiar with it, know how to say much of it. The noun is here objective in its meaning, used of that which produces delight (with God and men) the lovely, the charming (comp. Luk 4:22).Hitzig on account of the of the LXX. (they distil, they send forth) reads instead of , from which we do certainly gain a better parallelism of meaning with the 1st clause of the preceding verse. And yet it seems at least suspicious to go so far in this endeavor to secure a parallelism in the contents of the two verses, as actually to transpose, as Hitzig does, the order of their second clauses, and so combine them in the following order: 31, 1st32, 2d32, 1st31, 2d. [Rueetschi, in his criticism upon this tampering with forms and arrangement, says: It is all needlessnay, it destroys a beautiful, life-like thought, and substitutes for it a dry commonplace. Pro 10:31 says: The mouth of the righteous shooteth forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue is rooted out; if the mouth of the righteous may be compared to a good tree or field, that must yield good fruit, the deceitful tongue is a bad tree, that can bear only rotten fruit, and for that very reason is cut down, rooted out, destroyed. Pro 10:32 adds The lips of the righteous know, etc. The righteous finds always, as if instinctively, what is acceptableis, as it were, inspired with it, so that his lips, as it were, naturally find it, while, on the other hand, the wicked knows and understands only what is distorted or perverse, and his mouth, therefore speaks only this (as cited above, p. 138)].

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

The contrast between the righteous and the wicked, or between the wise and foolish, forms evidently the main theme of our chapter. This contrast, after being suggested in a general and prefatory way in Pro 10:1, is developed with special reference, 1) to the attainment or non-attainment on both parts of earthly possessions, especially riches and a good name (Pro 10:2-7); 2) to their differing dispositions as expressed by mouth and lips, the organs of speech, with diverse influence on their prosperity in life (Pro 10:8-14); 3) to the effect, tending on the one side to blessing, on the other to destruction, which the labor of the two classes (whether with the hands or with the lips) has upon themselves and upon others (Pro 10:15-24 and Pro 10:26); 4) the different issues of the lives of both (Pro 10:25; Pro 10:27-32). With the individual groups of proverbs, as we had occasion to combine them above in the exegetical notes, these main divisions in the treatment of the subject correspond only in part; for the formation of the groups was determined as we saw in manifold ways, and by quite external circumstances and relations.

A peculiarly rich return, in an ethical view, is yielded by those maxims which refer to the earthly revenues and possessions of the pious and the foolish (27, 15, 16, 22, 27 sq.). They all serve to illustrate the great truth, On Gods blessing every thing depends, while they no less interpret that other saying (2Th 3:10; comp. Pro 10:4-5 of our chapter), If any man will not work, neither shall he eat. Eminently important and comparatively original (i.e., never before brought to an emphatic utterance) are also the proverbs relating to the worth of a circumspect reserve in speech (Pro 10:8; Pro 10:10; Pro 10:13-14; Pro 10:18-19, comp. Jam 3:3-12); those relating to the ease with which the evil man brings forth his evil and the good his goodplainly because an evil heart underlies the works of the one, a loving spirit the others whole mode of action (Pro 10:23; comp. Pro 10:11-12; Pro 10:18; Pro 10:20, and passages of the New Testament like Mat 12:33-35; 1Jn 3:7 sq.; Pro 5:3); and lastly those relating to the spiritual blessings for others also that spring forth from the mouth of the pious as the wholesome fruit of his wisdom (Pro 10:11; Pro 10:21; Pro 10:31; comp. Mat 7:16 sq.; Joh 15:4 sq.; Gal 5:22; Php 1:11; Jam 3:18).

HOMILETIC AND PRACTICAL

Homily on the entire chapter. The pious and the ungodly compared in respect, 1) to their earthly good; 2) to their worth in the eyes of men; 3) to their outward demeanor in intercourse with others; 4) to their disposition of heart as this appears in their mien, their words, their Acts 5) to their diverse fruit, that which they produce in their moral influence on others; 6) to their different fates, as awarded to them at last in the retribution of eternity.Comp. Stcker: True righteousness: 1) its basis (Pro 10:1); 2) its manifestation and maintenance in life (Pro 10:2-5); 3) its utility (Pro 10:6-7); 4) the manner of its preservation and increase (Pro 10:8 sq.).1

Starke:The great difference between the pious and the ungodly: 1) in respect to temporal blessings (Pro 10:1-7); 2) in respect to conduct (Pro 10:8-26); 3) in respect to their prosperity and the issue of their deeds (Pro 10:27-32).Calwer Handbuch: Of righteousness through wisdom and of unrighteousness through folly and mockery. 1) Warning against the vices which quench delight in righteousness (114); 2) admonition to the careful government of the tongue as that on which above all things else the life and the true fruits of righteousness depend (1521); 3) allusion to riches, long life, the joyful attainment of ones hopes, confidence in God, security, good counsel, etc., as impelling to righteousness, as well as to the opposite of all these as the evil result of sin (2232).

Pro 10:1-7 (Text adapted to a sermon on Education). Egard: Wilt thou have joy and not sorrow in thy children, then train them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph 6:4).Stcker: Are there to be people that walk justly, i.e., honorably and sincerely before God, then must they be trained to it from childhood. The education of children is the foundation that must be laid for righteousness.

Pro 10:3 sq. Starke: Although all depends chiefly on Gods blessing, yet not for that reason is man discharged from labor. Labor is the ordinance in which God will reveal His blessing (Psa 128:2).Von Geriach: The Lord maketh rich, but by the industry which the righteous by His grace exercise.[Bp. Butler: Riches were first bestowed upon the world as they are still continued in it, by the blessing of God upon the industry of men, in the use of their understanding and strength.]

Pro 10:6-7. Osiander (in Starke): A good name among men is also reasonably to be reckoned among the excellent gifts of God, Psa 112:6; Ecc 7:1.Geier: To the righteous not only does God grant good in this life and the future; all good men also wish them all good and intercede for it day by day, without their knowing or suspecting it, that it may descend on them from God. Many righteous men unknown, or even hated during their life, are first truly known after their death and distinguished by honors of every kind, as the Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, etc. The offensiveness of the ungodly, on the contrary, where even so much as the mention of their name is involved, is perpetual.Funeral discourse on Pro 10:7. Ziegler (in Zimmermanns Sonntagsfeier, 1858, pp. 760 sq.): The memory of the just is blessed 1) because of his winning friendship; 2) because of his unfeigned piety; 3) because of his steadfast patience; 4) because of his noble, public-spirited activity.[Pro 10:7. J. Foster: The just show in the most evident and pleasing manner the gracious connexion which God has constantly maintained with a sinful world; they are verifying examples of the excellence of genuine religion; they diminish to our view the repulsiveness and horror of death; their memory is combined with the whole progress of the cause of God on earth,with its living agency through every stage.Trapp: Be good and do good, so shall thy name be heir to thy life.]

Pro 10:8-14. Geier (on Pro 10:8): Long as one lives he has to learn and to grow in knowledge, but above all also in the art of governing the tongue. A fool is in nothing sooner and better recognized than in his conversation.[Pro 10:9. Barrow: Upright simplicity is the deepest wisdom, and perverse craft the merest shallowness; he who is most true and just to others is most faithful and friendly to himself, and whoever doth abuse his neighbor is his own greatest cheat and foe.Bridges: Show me an easier path is natures cry. Show me, cries the child of God, a sure path. Such is the upright walk, under the shield of the Lords protection and providence; under the shadow of His promises, in the assurance of His present favor, and in its peaceful end.]J. Lange (on Pro 10:10): In his very bearing and gestures the Christian must so carry himself that there can be read in them true love, due reverence and sincerity.He who has too many compliments for every body is seldom sincere; trust not such a one, etc.[Pro 10:11. Arnot: The Lord looks down and men look up expecting to see a fringe of living green around the lip of a Christians life course.]Zeltner (on Pro 10:12): Love is the noblest spice in all things, the first fruit of faith, the most useful thing in all conditions, yea, a truly Divine virtue, for God Himself is love.Take love out of the world, and thou wilt find nothing but contention. Of the utility of true love one can never preach enough. [T. Adams: Love covereth all sins, saith Solomon; covers them partly from the eyes of God, in praying for the offenders; partly from the eyes of the world in throwing a cloak over our brothers nakedness; especially from its own eyes, by winking at many wrongs offered it.]Cramer (on Pro 10:13-14): It is no shame to know nothing, but it is indeed to wish to know nothing. Learn in thy youth, and thou hast benefit therefrom thy life long.Hasius (on Pro 10:13): He who makes his tongue a rod to scourge others with, must often in turn give his back to correction.Von Gerlach: The fool must like the beast be corrected with the stick, since he is capable of no rational teaching.[Bradford: He that trembleth not in hearing shall be broken to pieces in feeling.]

Pro 10:15-26. Geier (on Pro 10:15-16): Riches are a means that may be employed for good, but as, alas, generally happens, may be misused in the service of vanity and evil. Poverty is in itself a sad thing (Pro 30:8), and brings besides serious dangers to the soul; for an humble heart, however, that, child-like, submits to Gods correction and guidance, it may also become a security against many kinds of sins.[Pro 10:15-16. Trapp: Surely this should humble us, that richesthat should be our rises to raise us up to God, or glasses to see the love of God inour corrupt nature uses them as clouds, as clogs, etc., yea, sets them up in Gods place.Lord Bacon: This is excellently expressed, that riches are as a stronghold in imagination, and not always in fact; for certainly great riches have sold more men than they have bought out.Bridges: Our labor is Gods workwrought in dependence on Himnot for life, but to life.

Pro 10:18. Barrow: Since our faculty of speech was given us as in the first place to praise and glorify our Maker, so in the next to benefit and help our neighbor, it is an unnatural, perverting and irrational abuse thereof to employ it to the damage, disgrace, vexation or wrong in any kind of our brother.Arnot: Strangle the evil thoughts as they are coming to the birth, that the spirits which troubled you within may not go forth embodied to trouble also the world.They who abide in Christ will experience a sweet necessity of doing good to men; they who really try to do good to men will be compelled to abide in Christ.]Starke (on Pro 10:18). Open hatred and secret slander are both alike works of Satan against which a true Christian should be on his guard.(On Pro 10:19-21): The more one gives free course to his tongue, the more does he defile his conscience, comes too near God and his neighbor. But how usefully can a consecrated tongue be employed in the instruction, consolation and counsel of ones neighbor! Therefore let the Holy Spirit of God rule thy heart and thy tongue, Eph. 3:29. (On Pro 10:23): It is devilish to sin and then boast of sin. The wanton laughter of the wicked is followed at last, and often soon enough, by weeping and wailing, Luk 7:25.(On Pro 10:24): With all the good cheer of sinners there is yet sometimes found in them a strange unrest. Their own conscience chastises them and causes dismay.(On Pro 10:26): Indolence is injurious to every one, whether in a spiritual or a secular calling. Not by case, but by diligence and fidelity does one honorably fulfil his office; 1Co 4:2.[Bunyan: All the hopes of the wicked shall not bring him to heaven; all the fears of the righteous shall not bring him to hell.Arnot:Fear and hope were common to the righteous and the wicked in time: at the border of eternity the one will be relieved from all his fear, the other will be deprived of all his hope.(On Pro 10:26): The minor morals are not neglected in the Scriptures. He who is a Christian in little things is not a little Christian. He is the greatest Christian and the most useful. The baptism of these little outlying things shows that he is full of grace, for these are graces overflowings.]Berleb. Bible (on Pro 10:19-21): As silence is in many ways needful, as Christ Himself hath taught us by His own example so on the other hand we should offend God and rob Him of His honor if we would keep silence when He will have us speak. The lips of the righteous often serve God as an instrument by which He speaketh and instructeth him that needeth.

Pro 10:27-32. Zeltner: There is no grosser self-deception than when one in persistent impenitence and impiety yet imagines that he is at last to live in heaven.Geier: If thy hope of eternal blessedness is not to fail thee, it must, be based on the righteousness of Christ appropriated by faith, for this alone avails with God.(On Pro 10:30): Let us love and long for that which is really eternal and unchangeable; for only then can we say I shall not be moved, Psa 10:6; Psa 30:6.Starke (on Pro 10:31-32): When Gods honor and the edification and improvement of ones neighbor is not the chief end of our speaking; it is a sign that eternal wisdom has not yet wholly sanctified our hearts, comp. Pro 10:13-14Wohlfarth (on Pro 10:23-32): The sinners fear and the hope of the righteous (comp. 1Jn 4:18; 1Jn 3:3).

Footnotes:

[1] Stcker brings the contents of chaps. 1024 in general under five titles, corresponding to the five chief virtues: Justice, Modesty, Wisdom, Temperance, Patience. To Justice he assigns the contents of chapters 10 and 11; to Moderation chaps. 12 and 13; to Wisdom chaps. 1416; to Temperance chaps. 1723; to Patience chap. 24 He himself admits the arbitrariness of this division, and yet thinks there is no undue violence done thereby to the proverbs in question; for there is in these proverbs of Solomon (in chaps. 1024) in general a certain quality such as we may have seen in a beautiful green meadow, on which all manner of beautiful, lovely, glorious flowers of many sorts and colors are to be fallen in with or found, which stand wonderfully mixed and confused, and are only afterwards to be brought and placed in a certain order by some maiden who gathers them for a wreath. (Sermons, etc., p. 166.)

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

We are now in this Chapter, entering upon the Proverbs. From this Chapter to the twenty-fifth, we meet with a great abundance of those divine sayings. The one part is descriptive of the blessed effects of following wisdom’s ways; and the other of the contrary consequences.

Pro 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

If the Reader, while going over the whole body of Proverbs, will pray the Holy Ghost, that he may be always on the lookout for his divine teaching, I think very frequently he will discover in these Proverbs, that a greater than Solomon is here. I am very free to confess and believe, that many of the maxims here found, are maxims of morality and sound policy. But while I say this, I must be allowed to believe also, that very many sweet spiritual instructions are veiled under them. And I would beg the Reader to recollect what was said in the very first opening of the book of Proverbs, that the design for which they are given to us among the books of God, and as a part of the Bible was, that we might understand a Proverb, and the interpretation thereof; the Words of the wise, and their dark sayings. Pro 1:6 . If a mere code of moral sayings was all that was intended, what dark sayings are there in the very plain truths, which for the most part those chapters from the 10th to the 25th contain? I cannot therefore refrain from desiring the Reader to be as attentive as possible at every verse, more or less, as he passeth through to the enquiry; what further than the first and most obvious sense, the passage may, without violence be supposed to imply. And while I beg his close attention towards a discovery, that may be for his own profit; I yet more earnestly desire that his eyes and his heart may be directed to Him, from whom cometh every good, and every perfect gift: with whom is the residue of the Spirit; and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And once for all, now at the commencement of the Proverbs, I would desire to impress these views of them upon his mind, and in this manner recommend. the perusal of them to his heart. And having said this much, which if diligently followed by the Reader, will tend to his improvement in the knowledge of this blessed book of God, better than by anything that I can propose for his help in the perusal, I beg to observe that I shall make but short comments here and there, as a passage may strike me, in order to avoid swelling this Commentary unnecessarily, and which hath indeed already extended very much beyond what was originally intended.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Pro 10:22

The ancients believed that the pyramids were so constructed that they cast no shadow; but few things in this world are wholly free from shadows. Wellnigh all circumstances and events, however propitious some may be, entail disadvantages. Absolute perfection is rare in any direction. Yet it is now our privilege to offer unqualified advantage, a gift without a backdraw, a blessing that is an unalloyed joy. In its most definite sense the blessing of the Lord is the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ; and we hope to show that a truly Christian life can bring men good, only good; that it implies no abatements whatever, but is a rich and an unadulterated blessing.

I. The influence of true religion upon character affords a proof of this. Here eminently ‘the blessing of the Lord maketh rich’. On the banks of the Humber we have seen a vine growing in the open air. In the summer it put forth leaves, the fruit began to fashion, and one might have supposed that it was; going to ripen into purple clusters; but it never came to perfection: the grapes remained paltry and green, withering on the tree. A vine planted in the open air in the North of England is always a pathetic spectacle. How different with the vine as it is seen growing in Italy. Its branches are flung abroad as though in conscious triumph, every leaf upon it is a poem, and the clusters gleam like purple constellations set in a firmament like unto an emerald. Here is the rapture of the poet, the dream of the artist, the joy of the vintner. Yet wide as is the distinction between the vine of the Humber and the vineyards of Italy, the difference is yet infinitely greater between character as it struggles in the chill air of secularism and as it ripens in the sunshine of Jesus Christ. ‘I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit.’ The true Vine is incomparable in the wealth and beauty of moral fruition; and the branches, sharing in His fatness, bear the richest fruits of holiness that ever ripened beneath the sun.

‘And He addeth no sorrow therewith.’ We are bold to maintain that the gain in character in Christ is attended by no drawback. It implies no sacrifice of strength; the active elements of mind and will are in nowise sapped by the passive. Our Master is foremost in the line of heroes, and He inspires His followers with His own strength and courage. The Christian character implies no sacrifice of tenderness. The passive qualities essential to the completeness of human nature are not invalidated by the active; multitudes follow in Christ’s train who combine the tenacity of steel with the softness of silk. No sacrifice of self-respect is exacted. Whilst the Christian faith abases us for our sins, it assumes our greatness and respects our greatness at every step. No sacrifice of rationality is involved in Christian discipleship. No error is greater than to suppose that our faith puts any arbitrary limit to reason; the New Testament enlarges the human spirit without imposing upon it any narrowing or humiliating limitations. Nor are we called to make any sacrifice of practicability. Our aspirations are not mocked nor our strength wasted in the pursuit of unattainable standards. No sacrifice of individuality is implied. True piety destroys none of the charm of personality; on the contrary, it elicits, most fully, the special glory of the individual soul. And, finally, the moral ideal and discipline of the faith of Christ does not prejudice the humanness of its disciples. Whilst disclosing a higher world it does not forget that we are citizens of this, and members one of another. Looking to Jesus, and simply following Him, the integrity of our spirit can suffer in no respect or degree. In His own character is nothing defective or unbalanced; nor is there in the believer who is complete in Him.

II. The influence of true religion on society and its material conditions is equally benign. ‘The blessing of the Lord’ makes rich the community and its whole practical life. For generations the faith of Christ has purified public life; not a generation passes without some blighting thing passing with it.

III. The precious influence of the Christian faith on human experience is the last instance we will adduce of the truth of our text. Here ‘the blessing of the Lord maketh rich’. The New Testament has little to say about the world we figure on the map, or the worlds around us with which astronomy is concerned; but it concerns itself largely with the world within us the sphere of the spirit, the realm of thought, imagination, and feeling. As the ages progress this inner world, the world of self-consciousness, is ever seen more clearly to be the most important world with which we have to do. To enrich this world Christ came.

Nietzsche predicts that ‘the religion of the future will be the religion of golden laughter’. The religion of the future, then, will be the religion of Jesus Christ. No better definition could be given of it. Laughter devoid of sorrow. That does not bespeak the vacant but the noble mind. That is without stain or folly. That is not like the crackling of thorns under a pot, but steady as a star. The laughter that comes last. Such are the peace and cheerfulness of the pure in heart.

W. L. Watkinson, The Fatal Barter, pp. 213-27.

References. X. 22. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 183. X. 23. J. Parker, Studies in Texts, vol. i. pp. 177, 187. X. 24, 25. Ibid. p. 190. X. 26. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 194. X. 26, 27. B. G. Hoskyns, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxiv. 1903, p. 115. X. 27. W. C. Magee, Sermons at the Octagon Chapel, Bath, p. 302. X. 29. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Esther, Job, Proverbs, etc., p. 143. XI. 1. H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, Sunday Lessons for Daily Life, p. 159. Henry Alford, Quebec Chapel Sermons, vol. vii. p. 34. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 197. XI. 2, 3. Ibid. p. 201. XI. 9,13. Ibid. p. 204. XI. 14. G. Monks, Pastor in Ecclesia, p. 37. XI. 15. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 206. XI. 17, 18. Ibid. p. 212. XI. 21. J. H. Newman, Sermons Bearing on Subjects of the Day, p. 89. XI. 22. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 215. XI. 23. Ibid. p. 218. XI. 24. Ibid. p. 220. G. L. Richardson, Sermons for Harvest, p. 50. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 220. XI. 25. Ibid. p. 223. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xi. No. 626. XI. 26. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 226. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xi. No. 642. XI. 28. W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth, p. 229. XI. 30. Ibid. p. 233. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xv. No. 850; see also vol. xxii. No. 1292.

Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson

A Wise Son-the Treasures of Wickedness, Etc.

Pro 10:1-10

The New Testament is careful to point out the duty of the parent as well as the duty of the child. That would seem to be neglected in some parts of the Old Testament, though not in the substance of the book. Is it not true that the father makes the son, and that the mother is responsible for her child? When a son is wise or is foolish, we are entitled to look into his antecedents, and possibly we may find that his father and mother explain the whole of his infirmity. Were this truth more profoundly considered, and more earnestly applied to life, endless mischief might be prevented. It is not to be supposed that wisdom and virtue are hereditary possessions; on the other hand, it is but reasonable to suppose that diligence in the education of the mind will end in the formation of solid and useful character. Some of the noblest parents have been burdened with children who have been unwise, unfaithful, and unworthy in all moral respects. Epaminondas used to say that he joyed in nothing more than that his parents were yet alive to take comfort in his progress and military achievements. To Abimelech was rendered the wickedness done to his father, and as Absalom hangs by his hair in the boughs of the tree we may see an instance of a man who cultivated an unfilial spirit. Parents cannot escape the consequences arising from the conduct of their children, whether those consequences be happy or unhappy. We have seen that Rebekah was weary of her life by reason of the daughters of Heth brought in to her by her son Esau. Mothers must remember that it is useless to complain and repine and indulge in reproach if they have let the opportunity of infancy and youth pass by without improvement. He is a fool who neglects the seedtime, and then complains that there is no harvest. Parents begin the work of discipline too late, and then mourn that all their best efforts are thrown away; they should watch over the opening mind as benighted travellers watch for the dawn of day, that they may take advantage of it and pursue their purposes with vigour. He that spareth the rod hateth the child. There is a kindness that is cruelty, and there is an apparent harshness which is really the expression of the truest beneficence. Families have been ruined by ill-regulated discipline: there has been no reason in it; there has been no dignity of justice about it; it has simply expressed an arbitrary will, and has revealed a tyrannical rather than a paternal spirit. Against all such discipline the Christian Church should indignantly protest. Wise love will always find out the best methods, and true affection will not fail to apply them, even though momentary pain be given to the child.

“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death” ( Pro 10:2 ).

By “treasures of wickedness” we are to understand the riches which are gained by bad methods, by sharp practice, by taking advantage of the weak, and by bartering the soul for temporary profit There is an abundance of this kind of treasure in the world, and some of it is to be found in quite unexpected places. It is always difficult indeed to make money honestly in anything like large quantities. It would almost seem that honest labour stopped at the getting of bread and water, and that to advance beyond these elements is to advance into danger and probably to succumb to temptation. Nothing is promised by heaven but bread and water; yet no one is contented with these elementary gifts; every man wants what lies beyond; much will have more, and more will have an addition still; and thus the accumulation proceeds until the mind is unbalanced and the whole circle of life is set in false and bewildering relations. By “righteousness” we are to understand almsgiving, good-doing, beneficence. Jesus Christ says, “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men,” translated in the English version, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men.” In this verse we have a contrast between riches gained by wrong, and advantages arising from the exercise of righteousness or almsgiving. Beneficence delivers from death, because it is a sign of the divine life within. He who does good to others from a right motive is no longer under the dominion of death; he enters into life with Jesus Christ; his life is hidden with Christ in God: to do good from a motive like this is to show how entirely between the heart of man and the Cross of Christ a profound and joyous sympathy has been established. Good doing must not be made an investment of; that is to say, we must not try to buy ourselves off from the charge and claim of death. Done from such a motive, there would be nothing good in the action. The external relations of the action might be beneficial to others, but every action must be judged by the motive which inspires it. When a cup of cold water is given it must be given in the name of a disciple, or for the sake of Christ; and in this religious motive will be found the guarantee of that water being recognised in heaven, and turned into wine for the giver’s drinking.

“The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked” ( Pro 10:3 ).

This is the wonderful promise of the Old Testament, and it is confirmed by the exceeding great and precious promises of the New Covenant. The Lord takes charge of all souls; to some giving all the beauty and comfort of heaven, and to others awarding all that is due to unfaithfulness. “All souls are mine.” It is beautiful to picture the Lord as having all souls in his custody, and dealing with each according to its moral tone and purpose. Given a righteous man, and it would seem as if all the angels of God were in charge of him. If a righteous man could be driven into everlasting punishment the whole security of the universe would be violated: yea, even it a righteous man could come to permanent mischief, or be exposed to loss of an ultimate kind, even in this world; if his spirit of contentment and joy could be taken away from him because of the withdrawal of external blessings, then righteousness is vanity, and prayer is wasted breath. All the promises of God are enlisted on behalf of the good and true servant On the other hand, God “casteth away the substance of the wicked.” That is to say, he repels the eager passion and desire of the wicked. However much they may long for promotion, they do not get it; though their eyes are stretched out in eager expectation of advancement and blessing, riches and honour, yet disappointment shall fall upon their vision, and they shall see nothing but grievous darkness. Wicked men have substance; they have many riches; they have a great name in the world: but all this amounts to nothing, because within there is no heart of truth, no spirit of wisdom, no genius of spiritual devotion. The Lord is against the wicked always against him, necessarily against him; nothing can ever bring about conciliation between the one and the other, except the uttermost repentance on the part of the wicked, and complete self-renunciation. Let no wicked man suppose that by the multiplication of his riches he can achieve a permanent standing in the universe as an honoured and accepted person. His wickedness will be as a millstone about his neck, and he will be drowned in the abysses of perdition.

“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich” ( Pro 10:4 ).

Our life is dependent upon our industry. It is good for man that he should have to labour. Were God to do all, we should truly leave him to do it, not caring to co-operate with the divine husbandman in the culture of the field of life. We are called upon to labour with our hands, working the thing that is good, that we may have to give to him that needeth. By the “diligent” we are to understand the nimble-handed those who are active and agile, who will lose nothing for want of rising early and peering about in the darkness, if they may but catch a glimpse even of an outline of things. The persons referred to in the text are those who take account of microscopic matters; they are particular about the smallest coins, about moments and minutes, about so-called secondary engagements and plans. The true business man lives in the midst of his business. In this matter Boaz was an example: to the world; his eyes ranged over the whole field; he knew every servant and every reaper; yea, his eye was upon the gleaners also. Boaz lived in his business in the sense of being in the midst of his husbandry, well knowing that the eye of the master is worth more than the hands of all his servants. Let no one say that the Bible is a book of abstractions and spiritual metaphysics, having no relation to the activities and duties of the present life, with such proverbs as these before him. The spirit of wisdom here deals with the daily affairs of life, comments upon the spirit and actions of men, and withholds not criticism alike from the good and the evil. We are not far from the sanctuary of God when we are listening to proverbs like these. They seem to be indeed destitute of what we commonly know as evangelical unction, but the destitution is apparent rather than real. Nowhere in the Bible is life regarded as a piece of mechanism that may be trimmed by the hand, but always as a profound vitality that can only be sufficiently regulated, inspired, and directed by him who created it. The Bible insists upon the poor being recognised and assisted, and it further insists that the rich hand shall empty itself into the lap of the poor, and thus shall increase in riches; by an apparent contradiction, it shall have the more the more it gives.

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame” ( Pro 10:5 ).

Our efforts in life must be seasonable. We must know whether we are working in spring or summer, autumn or winter. The men of Issachar were popular with their king because they had understanding of the times. There is a religious forethought. To gather in summer is not to show unbelief regarding God’s goodness, but rather to show gratitude for its abundance. He who neglects to gather neglects the bounties of the Lord as well as neglects his own future necessities. The very fact that God has strewn his riches so abundantly is a silent call to men to arise and claim them in the name of honour and honesty and justice. God does not give his blessings that they may be trampled under foot, but that they may be gathered and garnered, laid up against the day of evil. The man who sleeps in harvest is pronounced a fool, because he lets his opportunity slip. The historian writes concerning Hannibal that when he could have taken Rome he would not, and when he would he could not. We are to be men of opportunity; that is to say, we are to buy up the opportunity, we are to redeem the time, to say, “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.” When God opens a gate he means that we should go through it, and pass into all the inheritance beyond; when God sends autumn upon the earth, with all its golden wheatfields and purple vintages, it is that men may arise and gather in the fruits of the earth, so that when winter comes there may be a garden within the walls of the house, yea, an abundant store on the hearthstone. There was a king of Sicily who was called “The Lingerer,” not because he stayed till opportunity came, but because he stayed till opportunity was lost. There is a time to wait, and there is a time to act. Overlong waiting means loss of chance, for the king has passed by and the gates are closed; but to wait patiently until everything is ripe for action is the very last expression of Christian culture. “He that believeth shall not make haste;” he who only half believeth shall live in fretfulness and anxiety, shall always be clutching at prizes and never seizing them.

“Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked” ( Pro 10:6 ).

All men must acknowledge this to be not only true in fact but excellent in reason and justice. The good man is a crowned man. Find the just man where you may, you find a sceptre in his hand in token of royalty and dominion. To be just is to be like God. To be just is to care for the interests of others. “But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” Curses and deeds of violence issue from the mouth of the wicked in great storms and blasts, as if they could by fury accomplish their purpose, but God lays his hand upon the swollen lips, and causes the profane man to swallow his own blasphemies. The Lord conceals wicked lips in silence, or he turns the evil speaker to confusion by allowing the fury of the bad man to strike down the house which he profaned by his presence. All violent and wicked men shall be shamed and condemned. They do not speak the word of justice; they are not animated by the spirit of truth; they are not swayed by the angel of love: they take everything into their own hands, and would be masters and lords and sovereigns, forgetting that the Lord reigneth, and that all creatures are greatest and best when they bow in homage before the altar of the Creator. If we would increase in blessing we must increase in the spirit of justness. We must always distinguish between violence and strength. Omnipotence is quiet because omnipotence is complete. When the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing, they are not far from the destruction which God inflicts upon those who boast themselves against him. God seizes the moment of human fury that he may confound the counsels of the wicked. To be in a passion of unreasonableness is to be within one step of doom.

“The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot” ( Pro 10:7 ).

To a statement like this all men must say, So be it; for this is wise and good and just. Who would not preserve a noble name? The recollection of such a name is a continual inspiration. From that recollection many things may be shed that are mere matters of detail, but the substance and the honour, the real quality and worth, abide with us evermore. Who need be ashamed to own that he had a just father and a virtuous mother? No man blushes when he cites the name of a conqueror who worked heroically, and succeeded perfectly in the great warfare of life. Just memories are flowers we cannot allow to fade: we water them with our tears; by them we enrich and ennoble our prayers, and by them we animate ourselves as by a sacred stimulus. Blessed are they who have a noble past, a yesterday crowded with figures and memories of things beautiful and lovable; they can never be lonely, they can never be sad; they walk in the company of the just and the true, and the silence of the communion does not diminish its music. Let the name of the wicked rot. It is a name of ill-savour; it fills the whole house with a sense of putrescence. Sad to think that many a man is so living that his own child will one day be ashamed of him, and will not, except under compulsion, venture to mention his dishonoured name. “He that perverteth his ways shall be known.” The Lord shall lead forth the foolish with the workers of iniquity, and shall cause them and their cunning contrivances to be forgotten. Here is a fame which is possible to every man. It is not possible for us all to win renown in fields of battle, in walks of literature, in lines of adventure, or in regions of discovery and enterprise; that kind of renown must be left to the few, the elect who are created to lead the world’s civilisation; but the renown of goodness, the fame of purity, the reputation of excellence, these lie within the power of the poorest man that lives. A good name is better than riches. The poor of this world may be rich in faith. A man who never invented anything to enrich the civilisation of his day may have so prayed as to bring down the blessing of heaven upon his times.

“The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall” ( Pro 10:8 ).

The wise in heart will look out for the word of authority, and will not consider it an indignity to submit to God’s rule. This, indeed, is the very perfectness of Christian education to know that we are ignorant, and that we are under guidance, and that the true counsel and direction can come only from heaven. The consummation of all prayer is “Not my will, but thine, be done.” This is not only the consummation of prayer, it is the last attainment of wisdom. We have to work faithfully and arduously in order to realise this remote conclusion. When a man has come to find that he knows nothing, and that he is in the hands of God, waiting for everything, and that his utmost might can only enable him to co-operate with God, never to go before, but always to toil behind with a willing heart, he is approaching the close of his earthly education he is getting ready for the school of heaven, where the lessons are deeper, and where the opportunity of advancement is enlarged. The prating fool is nowhere well spoken of; he is doomed to fall. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. By “fools” we are to understand persons who are self-conceited, headstrong, who will listen to no counsel, but who insist that they know everything, and are independent of every one. They prate, they talk loudly, they vex others by their criticism, they will always be heard; it is not for them to sit still and in a passive mood receive instruction; they will be instructors, leaders, loud speakers, not knowing that whilst they are holding their heads so high their feet are steadily moving down to the pit. A companion of fools shall be destroyed.

“He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known” ( Pro 10:9 ).

The man who walks uprightly is relieved from all fear, and is inspired by the very spirit of courage. He knows that he means to be right and to do right, and therefore he can challenge the world to find fault with him. He does not boast of ultimate wisdom; he simply glories in an honest purpose. Far from saying that all his counsels are founded in wisdom and must end in success, he can say, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I want to be like my Saviour, and to do all his will in simple and faithful obedience. That is enough. He has no cause to believe that he will bring discredit upon his profession; he trusts quietly in the Lord. The man who goes through life by crooked paths, sinuously endeavouring to avoid royal thoroughfares, will be discovered, and because he has a consciousness of this ultimate detection he lives a life of perpetual unrest. The man who perverts his ways shall be instructed by misfortune. He would not listen to more genial teachers, he put away from him the spirit of counsel and understanding; so the grim monitor known by the name of Misfortune comes and conducts his schooling, compelling him to read hard words, and to undergo severe discipline. To pervert the way is to make it crooked, to complicate that which is simple, and to exhibit moral cleverness at the expense of moral integrity. So we come again and again upon the solemn truth that in uprightness alone is safety, that honesty is a child of the daylight, and that true honour works for no advantage, but submits itself to the most searching analysis and criticism. “The righteous are bold as a lion.” See a man who is endeavouring to pervert his way, and watch how every day brings him nearer and nearer to his fall. He may be singularly fortunate for a time, he may elude detection, he may deceive the very elect of his own household, so that they who are closest to him shall not know how true a servant of the devil he is; but in the end that which is spoken in secret shall be heard in public, the concealed place shall be as the open housetop, and a whisper shall multiply itself into thunder; and in that day of discovery it will be known that he that perverteth his ways cannot secure his purpose, but shall be foiled in the hour when he expected triumph and rest.

“He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall” ( Pro 10:10 ).

He misleads people, he gives them false hints and suggestions, and then he glories in the vexation which he inflicts upon them; he is wanting in rectitude, straightforwardness, and social honour; he does not care whom he misleads or misdirects, enough for him that he gains his point for the moment; the more people he can bring into misery the greater will be his wicked enjoyment Everything that is underhanded, that is aside from the straightforward course of virtue and wisdom, must cause sorrow, sooner or later. Have no part with men who give themselves up to tricks, to evil counsels, to the working of disappointment in the hearts of others; only believe the man whose voice is clear, simple, and direct; about whose word there is no moral mystery, whose word is his bond, whose words indeed may be few, but not therefore unwise: the man who means what he says, and who having sworn to his hurt will still carry out his covenant. The man who can submit to a mean trick will certainly not shrink from carrying it out in its fulness when opportunity serves. To wink with the eye may seem to be innocent enough, and so it may be under some circumstances, but when it is an indication of moral depravity, when it indicates knavery, trickery, deceit, the issue thereof must be sorrow of the bitterest quality.

What a table of regulations we have even so far in this Book of Proverbs! Were we to cut the book short even here, we should have enough for the guidance of our life in all practical wisdom. The Proverbs would seem to vindicate the Bible, as we have already said, from the charge of dealing in things that are merely ghostly and far off. This book brings the whole Bible down to the very level of daily life, and causes men to think seriously about matters which on first appearance may not seem to be religious. In very deed, religion is found in all the actions of life, whether we sit or rise, wake or sleep, go forth to the marketplace or enclose ourselves in the sanctuary of communion with God all has upon it a sign of relationship towards larger things, and a hint of final and irrevocable judgment. Blessed are they who know the meaning of righteousness, uprightness, truth, justice, and wisdom. Wheresoever they walk they are walking towards the light, and whatsoever the discipline through which they are passing they are moving onward to reward and higher service.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

XXII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVERBS

Pro 10:1-22:16 .

Solomon is the author of Pro 10:1-22:16 , and the character of this section is noticeable in the change from the direct and continuous appeal of the opening chapters of the book to the short and, for the most part, disconnected maxims, each of them contained, as a rule, in a couplet, or district, formed strictly on the model of Hebrew parallelism.

The one exception to the rule of the couplet is found in Pro 19:7 were there is a tristich, or stanza of three lines) which is explained by assuming that the last clause of this verse properly belongs to another proverb, of which one member has fallen out of our present text. This conclusion is in some measure confirmed by the appearance in the Septuagint of two complete distichs, though it does not help toward the restoration of the original Hebrew text.

Maurer calls this section, “Golden saying not unworthy of Solomon, fitted to form and fashion the whole life.” There are 376 proverbs in this collection and the parallelism is generally antithetic. A profitable study it would be to take this great section and classify each proverb in it as to the Hebrew parallelism found in it, and then paraphrase it so as to show its application to modern life, but such a plan would require more space than can be given to this discussion. An example of such paraphrase is found in W. J. Bryan’s paraphrase of Pro 22:3 , thus: A wise man sees the danger and gets out of the way, But the fool rushes on and gets it in the neck.

I give here several proverbs selected from those made by members of the author’s class in the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as illustrations of the various kinds of parallelism found in the book of proverbs. Many of them are antithetic, like most of the proverbs found in the great section discussed so briefly in this chapter. The kind of parallelism found in each proverb is indicated by the word following it.

A wise man is as springtime to his neighbor, But the foolish are as the death of winter. Antithetic

A son that honors his father shall be honored in old age, But he that dishonors his parents shall suffer at the last. Antithetic

A wise man chooses his path, But they who Jack wisdom stumble on through life. Antithetic

In the house of the wicked strife prevails, But in the chambers of the righteous peace dwells. Antithetic

Christ is the foundation of religion, And religion is the foundation of the world. Synthetic

Heaven is a place of happiness But hell is a place of torment. Antithetic

What you were will not avail, It’s what you are that counts. Synthetic

Every proverb has encased a jewel, And wisdom is the key to unlock it. Climactic

Teachers impart knowledge, But pupils straightway forget it. Antithetic

Any fool can find fault, But the wise in heart will bridle the tongue. Antithetic

If people would be loved, They must first love others. Progressive

Love getteth to itself friends; While hatred maketh enemies. Antithetic

Duty calls ever and anon, Happy the man who heeds her call. Climactic

If you pay as you go, Your going will be good. Progressive

The bold eat the sweet morsel of victory, But the fearful are put to shame. Antithetic

The rebuke of a friend Is better than the compliment of an enemy. Progressive

As the rudder is to the ship, So is character to the life. Parabolic

A little schooling is a fooling with the looks, But true learning is a discerning of the books. Antithetic

The wicked rejoiceth in health, But calleth on the Lord in distress. Antithetic

The man who has an axe to grind Meets you with a smiling face. Progressive

Tis only noble thoughts Can make a noble man. Progressive

The wheels of time move slowly But they move surely. Climactic

The wicked purpose evil and are brought low, But the righteous purpose good and are exalted. Antithetic

The man who seeks to know the right shall find light. But he who seeks the lusts of the flesh shall find darkness. Antithetic

The going of the wicked is exceedingly crooked, But the path of the righteous is in the straight and narrow way. Antithetic

As a roaring lion in chains by the way, So is the adversary to the heavenly pilgrim. Parabolic

They who take part in others’ troubles Are apt to get into trouble, too. Progressive

QUESTIONS

1. Who is the author of Pro 10:1-22:16 and what is the character of this section?

2. What is exception to the rule that these Proverbs are expressed in couplets and how may this exception be explained?

3. What says Maurer of this section?

4. How many proverbs are in this section and what kind of parallelism is most common?

5. What is the suggestion by the author for a profitable study of this section?

6. Select ten of the most striking proverbs in this section and paraphrase them so as to show the application of them.

7. Now try your hand at making proverbs of every kind of Hebrew parallelism and indicate the kind of parallelism in each.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Pro 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son [is] the heaviness of his mother.

Ver. 1. The Proverbs. ] Properly so called. See Pro 1:1 . For the nine former chapters are a kind of common places, or continued discourses premised as a preface to these ensuing wise and grave sentences, tending much to the information of the mind and reformation of the manners, and containing things profitable for all sorts of people. They are not unfitly compared by a divine to a bag full of sweet and fragrant spices, which shuffled or shaken together, or taken single, yield a sweet odour; or to stars in the firmament, each in itself glorious and independent of another, yet all receive their light from the sun.

A wise son maketh a glad father. ] Children are certain cares, but uncertain comforts. a Every son should be an Abner, that is, his father’s light; and every daughter an Abigail, her father’s joy. Eve promised herself much in her Cain, and David did the like in his Absalom. Sed, fallitur augurio spes bona saepe suo, – they were both deceived. Samuel succeeds Eli in his cross, as well as his place, though not in his sin; and had cause enough to call his untoward children, as Augustus did, tres vomicas, tria carcinomata, – so many ulcerous sores, mattery imposthumes. b Virtue is not as lands, inheritable. All that is traduced with the seed is either evil, or not good. Let parents labour to mend by education what they have marred by propagation; and when they have done all, pray “God persuade Japhet,” lest else they be put to wish one day, as Augustus did, Oh that I had never married, or never had children! c And let children cheer up their parents, as Joseph, Samuel, and Solomon did; and as Epaminondas, who was wont to say, Se longe maximum suarum laudum fructum capere quod earum spectatores haberet parentes, d – that he joyed in nothing more than that his parents were yet alive, to take comfort in his brave achievements; for otherwise God will take them in hand, as he did Abimelech, to whom he “rendered the wickedness done to his father”; Jdg 9:5 and as he did Absalom, whom he trussed up in the height of his rebellious practices with his own immediate hand; or else he will punish them in and by their posterity, which shall either be none (Pro 20:20 , compared with 2Sa 14:7 ), or worse than none; as he who, when his aggrieved father complained that never man had so undutiful a child as he had, Yes, said his son (with less grace than truth), my grandfather had. e

The heaviness of his mother. ] The mother is mentioned (though the father haply as heavy) first, as most faulted if her children miscarry; Pro 24:15 next, as most slighted by them; Pro 15:20 and lastly, as most impatient of such an affliction. Rebekah was weary of her life by reason of the daughters of Heth brought in to her by Esau. Gen 27:46 If they lie idle at home, mothers have the misery of it; if they do worse abroad, the worst is made of it to the mother at home by fame, that loud liar.

a , . – Plut.

b A purulent swelling or cyst in any part of the body; an abscess.

c Sueton, cap. 6.

d Corn. Nepos.

e Mr Fuller’s Holy State.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Proverbs Chapter 10

Chapter 10 begins with the less consecutive communications of the Book, after the rich presentation of sententious wisdom of more general character seen in the previous nine. We are now introduced to those detached and pithy moral axioms given to instruct the mind and fasten on the memory for profit day by day.
“The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; but a foolish son [is] the grief of his mother.
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; but righteousness delivereth from death.
“Jehovah suffereth not the soul of the righteous to famish; but he repelleth the craving of the wicked.
“He cometh to want that dealeth [with] a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
“He that gathereth in summer [is] a wise son; he that sleepeth in harvest [is] a son that causeth shame.
“Blessings [are] on the head of the righteous; but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
“The memory of the righteous [is] blessed; but the name of the wicked shall rot.
“The wise in heart receiveth commandments; but the foolish of lips shall fall.
“He that walketh in integrity walketh securely; but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
“He that winketh with the eye causeth grief; but the foolish of lips shall fall.” vv. 1-10.
In the first verse is stated the importance of cultivating wisdom in a son, not the acquisition of such knowledge as distinguishes among men, or promotes the interests of the family or of himself. Vanity and pride, selfishness and greed, are thus guarded against. That is commended which cannot be without the fear of Jehovah. How sad if God’s people were as indifferent as the Gentiles that know Him not! Is Christendom really better new? Is wisdom the aim of the school board or the education council? It makes “a glad father”; as its absence cannot but fall as grief to the “mother” especially. How many sons, bright, applauded, and successful, end in shame and ruin!
The second carries out the warning of the first verse. “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing.” They may dazzle, and furnish the amplest means of self-gratification. But the end of these things is death; and God is not mocked, who will judge by Him in whom was no sin, but only obedience in love. Righteousness is consistency with our relationships, the first of which is with Him who is out of sight and forgotten. Now, as Solomon owned publicly when at the height of his earthly blessing, “there is no man that sinneth not”; righteousness cannot be for any man without looking out of himself to Him whom God ever meant to send, as all that feared Him knew. The prophets here but emphasized what the faithful acted on from the beginning. To be self-satisfied, or indifferent, is to be unrighteous radically. To believe God and look for the Saviour is alone right. He gives one to be righteous as well as justified; “he shall live by his faith”; and there is no other way. Righteousness, therefore, it is that “delivereth from death.”
Verse 3 appropriately adds the comforting assurance that Jehovah, who tries the righteous for their good in an evil age, “will not suffer the righteous to famish; but he repelleth the craving (or, the desire) of the wicked.” There is a righteous government in the midst of all sorts of difficulties, snares, and moral contradictions, the most wilful finds himself checked, as the most tried is sustained and cared for.
In verses 4 and 5, heedlessness is shown to work ruin, no less than more pronounced evil. It was not for such indifference that God made man in His image after His likeness; and when he fell, he got a conscience to know good and evil, as was not nor could be in a state of innocence. So we have, “He cometh to want that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” As man, it is good for him to eat bread in the sweat of his face. An idler is open to evil as well as poverty; the diligent works not in vain. Again, when all is bright and abundant, folly takes its ease and enjoyment; but he is a wise son that gathereth in summer. Thus, he that sleeps when he ought to reap diligently, must inevitably cause shame, whatever the love of those who are nearest.
Then verses 6 and 7 contrast the portion and the memory of the righteous with the wicked. While blessings are upon the head of a righteous man, to adorn and protect him, the mouth of the wicked is covered by violence, or violence covers it. They proceed farther in ungodliness, and their folly at length becomes evident. Whereas the memory of the righteous man lives as blessed, and the very name of the wicked shall rot.
Wisdom is manifested in lowly obedience (vv. 8, 9). “The wise in heart receiveth commandments; but the foolish of lips (the marked contrast) shall fall.” Man’s true elevation is in looking up to Him who deigns to guide the needy by His counsel. The foolish of lips proves that he neither knows whence wisdom comes, nor distrusts his own emptiness; and therefore shall he fall. But wisdom of heart does not stop at hearing, but receives to obey, and is blessed in his doing; and so we are told here, “he that walketh in integrity walketh securely; but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.” He may be sly, and hope to lie concealed; but He who sees all discloses the evildoer even in the dark day or night.
Very pregnant is verse 10. “He that winketh with the eye causeth grief.” He may be ever so on his guard, he may not go beyond a sign of his evil eyes; but he “causeth grief,” and without defining it farther. It may be grief to himself as well as to others. As before, here it is added that the foolish of lips shall fall. He is not a crafty dissembler, but falls through his outspoken folly.
In the verses that immediately follow, “the mouth” has a predominant place for good will, though labour or its fruit is noticed by the way, no less than heed to instruction, as in verses 15-17.
“The mouth of a righteous one [is] a fountain of life; but the mouth of the wicked covereth violence.
“Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all transgress ions.
“In the lips of one intelligent wisdom is found; but a rod [is] for the back of him that is void of understanding (or, heart) .
“The wise lay up knowledge; but the mouth of the fool [is] near destruction.
“The rich one’s wealth [is] his strong city; the poor’s destruction [is] their poverty.
“The labour of righteousness [tendeth] to life, the revenue of wickedness to sin.
“Keeping instruction [is] life’s path; but he that forsaketh reproof erreth.
“He that covereth hatred hath lying lips, and he that uttereth slander [is] a food (or, vile).
“In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; but he that restraineth his lips doeth wisely.
“The tongue of the righteous [is as] choice silver; the heart of a wicked one [is] little worth.
“The lips of the righteous feed many; but fools die for want of understanding.” vv. 11-21.
The mouth has a widely different intent and character in man from the beast, where it expresses animal need, innocuous or baneful to others. Man’s mouth has a nobler purpose and unique, as the means of expressing his inner nature in relationship, not with the realm of nature which he is set to rule, but, in subjection, with God whom he represents, or, alas! misrepresents. Here it is the mouth of a righteous man, and is said to be a fountain of life; for this is the divine mind as to such a one in the desert world. He is not merely seen of God providentially as Hagar by a fountain of water in the wilderness, which was called accordingly. He endures as seeing Him who is invisible. He becomes thereby an active source of blessing to others, and of blessing toward that nature which has in it now the taint of death through the sin of man, its first typical head, before the second Man (the unfailing and true Head) restores all things as He surely will in due time. Meantime the righteous man’s mouth by grace is a fountain of life. He is a witness of God in Christ; and as he believes therefore so he speaks. With the wicked it is wholly otherwise. His mouth not only utters the violence of self-will and ungodliness, but does yet worse in covering the violence he feels, which if disclosed might lead to wholesome caution or restraint and solemn warning.
“Hatred” is next brought before us, the precise reverse of God in His love, the transcript of Satan in his malice. So evident is its association, that it is needless to state its parentage; it is “as Cain,” who was of the evil one, and slew his brother. But, even if in its lightest form, it “stirreth up strifes,” resenting all interference with man’s will, as God is nowhere in its thoughts. “But love covereth all transgressions.” Such is the deep feeling of the divine nature in a man of God. Personal resentment is far from the heart. He is pleased to forgive and forget. So the Apostle repeats (1Pe 4:8 ) that love covers a multitude of sins, as James similarly concludes his epistle. Yet even Israel, not Christians only, were to be holy; and if a false witness rose up and was convicted, when both stood before Jehovah, then, instead of covering, they were bound to do to him as he meant against his brother, and so put the evil away from among them. Any other course is Satan’s work by setting one scripture to annul another, instead of obeying all. To bring human feeling into such a case is as contrary to the gospel as it was to the law. “Do ye not judge them that are within?” “Holiness becometh thy house, O Jehovah, for ever.” This is as inalienable as love’s privilege to cover all transgressions personally. When our Lord on the mount taught His disciples not to resist evil (Mat 5:38-42 ) according to the law of retaliation, it was for Christian life in its individual walk. The same Lord insisted on unsparing judgment of evil in the Church. So we all know how wrong it is to efface 1Co 5 in practice by forbidding the uprooting of the tares in Mat 13:29 . How unintelligent and blind!
Again, we are told that “in the lips of one intelligent, wisdom is found; but a rod is for the back of him that is void of heart” (or, understanding). How true is this, and evident experimentally! It is not only that every intelligent man has wisdom, but in his lips it is found. How self is betrayed in seeking it otherwise! Who would look for wisdom elsewhere unless he (perhaps unconsciously) wanted his own way? On the other hand, he that lacks heart in the moral sense deserves the rod for his own chastening. If his eye were single, he could not want light.
Another blessing comes to wisdom. It does not lose what it has’ but grows by grace. “The wise lay up wisdom.” Acuteness or originality may not and often does not turn to profit the most brilliant and useful ideas; but wisdom keeps and uses what is given from above. Just as the fool’s mouth, however voluble, utters nothing of real value, but has ever at hand ample elements for mischief and “near destruction.”
The next couplet seems to state this simple fact, and not without irony. “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the destruction of the poor is their poverty.” So they think, and others say; yet riches have wings and may fly away; as the poor, if godly and content with the will of God, have great gain.
Compared with the rich, we have now “a righteous man’s labour,” which has the stamp on it of tending “to life.” On the other hand, “the revenue” (it is not said, the labour) of a wicked man tendeth “to sin.” How cheering for him who accepts the portion, though it be in a ruined world, of eating bread in the sweat of his face! and how sorrowful is the course of a revenue, were it ever so abundant, flowing into sin!
Then follows the practical test: “Keeping instruction is the path of life,” as surely as “he that forsaketh reproof erreth.” For not to hear only, but to keep instruction, is of great price; whereas to dislike, and so forsake, the “reproof” of our manifold faults, is the way to go astray, one knows not how far.
Next, we hear the yet more solemn warning against hypocritical ill will, its character and natural issue, and God’s judgment of it, whatever men say. “He that covereth hatred hath lying lips; and he that uttereth slander is a fool.” So He says who searcheth reins and hearts, which we cannot do and so need to profit by His word. Malevolent lies, when laid bare, thus prove hatred that was covered up, and the sending forth of slander evinces the fool. The divine oracle does not stoop to the deceiving politeness of society, but speaks out that all saints may hear, whether for comfort or for admonition.
Further, we are cautioned against overmuch speaking, as our Lord denounced vain repetitions in prayer like the Gentiles, and long prayers in public like the Jews. It is well at all times to watch and refrain, save in peremptory duty. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; but he that restraineth his lips doeth wisely.” Let us not fail then to ask the Lord to set a watch before our mouth, and keep the door of our lips, as in Psa 141:3 . Our evil nature is too ready to watch our neighbour’s mouth to the shame of faith and love.
The tongue of the righteous, as we are told in verse 20, is as choice silver. This is apposite and suggestive. We might have thought other metals might have suited not less well. Many a tongue that is not righteous cuts like the brightest and sharpest steel. But as silver in sanctuary associations pointed to grace, and gold to righteousness divine, so in usage among men silver is specially adapted for probing wounds without corrosion or festering. So is the tongue of the just, always with grace, seasoned with salt. Hence the apostolic call on “the spiritual” to restore one overtaken in any trespass; the unspiritual is apt to be severe, the carnal would be careless and resent true judgment.
The following verse (21) pursues and defines the positive blessing. “The lips of a righteous man feed many.” On another side we hear, “but fools die for want of understanding.” The bread which Jesus made and gave through His disciples fed the multitude, with more at the end than at the beginning; and this is what the righteous soul finds in Him for many in their many wants and in a thousand ways. Him they are called to testify, and their “lips” will as certainly “feed many.” Just as certainly do foals who believe not in Him, though they may hear with their ears, “die for want of understanding.” His flesh, which the Son of man gave us to eat, and His blood to drink, is the most precious grace on His part, and the most needed truth on ours; but upon this many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. How true and sad to say that “fools die for want of understanding”! It is the perverse heart, insensible alike to its own sinfulness and to the goodness of God, who in Christ went down to all depths to save the lost at all cost.
To the end of the chapter we have the blessing of Jehovah in contrast with the fool, the wicked, and the sluggard, in their respective paths; the fear of Jehovah, and again the way of Jehovah, and the effects compared with the opposed evil.
“The blessing of Jehovah. it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow to it.
“[It is] as sport to a fool to do wickedness; but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
“The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
“As a whirlwind passeth, so [is] the wicked no I more]; but the righteous [is] an everlasting foundation.
“As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so [is] the sluggard to those that send him.
“The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days; but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
“The hope of the righteous [is] joy; but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
“The way of Jehovah [is] strength to the upright one; but destruction to the workers of iniquity.
“The righteous one shall never be removed; but the wicked shall not dwell in the earth (or, land).
“The mouth of the righteous one putteth forth wisdom; but the froward tongue shall be cut off.
“The lips of a righteous one know what is acceptable; but the mouth of the wicked [is] frowardness.” vv. 22-32.
The Israelites were here called to remember that their God, Jehovah, the only unerring moral governor, is the blesser, and that His blessing makes rich. The day comes when Messiah shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall reign in judgment. In that day, as the role, false appearances shall not flourish. The vile person or fool shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful. The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and confidence forever. The very wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad; and no wonder, when He reigns who made all very good, before the sin of man brought in confusion and every evil work. But then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp (or adder), and the weaned child shall put his hand on the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain. In that day will it be seen by every eye that the blessing of Jehovah makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it. But even in this day of man when sin still reigns in death, godliness with contentment is great gain, whatever be the outward circumstances.
On the other hand, the lively pleasure of moral folly is to do wickedness for a little while. What is the end of such sport, but death as part wages, and judgment as full? A man of understanding has wisdom, and the fear of Jehovah is his constant part as well as beginning. Moreover, the fear of the wicked is far from groundless, and if it heed not the goodness of God that leads to repentance, the suspended blow falls, “it shall come upon him.” Just so, even while it is still the evil day, the desire of the righteous shall be granted; for he asks of God what is according to His will, judging himself where, seeking more or otherwise, he yielded to vain thoughts. Why should he doubt care and mercy in any trial from Him whose grace justified the ungodly? No doubt, even now there are hours of exceeding pressure, here compared to a whirlwind. When it passes, where is the wicked? “No more.” The very distress which overwhelms him discloses that “the righteous is an everlasting foundation.” “Sluggishness” may not have the dark character of “wickedness” or of “folly” in the moral sense; but it is a twofold wrong of no small dimensions. It is unworthy in itself, and dishonours the failing man by its purposeless ease; it is as vexatious to others “that send him” “as vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes.” How sad when lack of heed and diligence in a Christian exposes his Master’s name to be ill spoken of!
The Apostle Peter cites a word kindred in substance to verse 27 from Psa 34 , though the form differs. The fear of Jehovah is the source of strength and security for the weak in a world of evil and anxiety and danger. It “prolongeth days” for him who trembles at His word, not at the enemy; as “the years of the wicked” who has no such fear “shall be shortened.” For the same reason “the hope of the righteous is joy” now as well as at the end; whereas “the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” Not only is there the wearing chagrin and worry of disappointment to shorten his days, but he cannot shut out his dread of inevitable judgment; and his mockery of perdition ends in the blackest despair.
In bright light shines out verse 29. “The way of Jehovah is strength to the upright, but destruction to the workers of iniquity.” It is not here His “end” as in Jas 5:11 , but His “way”; though they are alike worthy of Him, and also the reliance and comfort of faith, as His Word reveals both. Oh, what patience and long-suffering in His way, however dark and afflicting it seemed to Job and his friends! but what was the end? Could Satan deny its compassion and mercy? But His way corrected error for the upright, while its forbearance gives occasion to the destruction of such as work iniquity. They shall no more inhabit the earth, than the righteous be removed, in the judgment. They may foam out their own shames now; but “the froward tongue shall be cut out,” as surely as “the mouth of the righteous putteth forth wisdom.” It is the single eye to the Lord that gives the lips to know what is acceptable to God as well as man. The mouth of the wicked speaks frowardness according to the abundance of his heart; the good man speaks out of his good treasure, and this is Christ Himself.
Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)

Chapter 10
Now in chapter 10 we have individual proverbs. Most of these individual proverbs are in contrast, where they are contrasting the wise with the foolish, or the wicked with the righteous. Or the diligent with the slothful. I mean, you’ll see in each of them a contrast, and there is really not any kind of a tie between the proverb. Each one is a separate little, neat little truth all packaged by itself. Each one is self-explanatory. Thus, there isn’t really much that you can say without being redundant.
The Proverbs of Solomon ( Pro 10:1 ).
So now we’re getting into the little individual, pithy statements.
A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother ( Pro 10:1 ).
You see, that’s my boy. Or that’s her boy. The wise son is my boy. The foolish son is hers.
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing ( Pro 10:2 ):
Or gain that is made through wickedness.
but righteousness delivers from death. The LORD will not allow the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked ( Pro 10:2-3 ).
An interesting proverb. God will take care of His own. He’ll not allow the soul of the righteous to famish. But ultimately, the wicked are going to have the substance taken away.
He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent makes rich ( Pro 10:4 ).
Now, one thing that is noted in the proverbs and in the Bible is that God does respect and desire that in your business dealings you always be absolutely honest and upright. Don’t be trying to always shyster the other guy or take advantage of another guy. Or we read a little further where the buyer says, “It’s not worth a thing, it’s not worth a thing.” But when he walks away, he brags about what kind of a deal he got. “It’s worth nothing. It’s worth nothing.” And you go away, “Man, did I ever have a deal! Look what I bought for $5. Really took that sucker.” And he speaks against that kind of stuff. “He who deals with a slack hand.” Deal honestly. Don’t deal with a slack hand. But be diligent. He’ll become poor that deals with a slack hand. It’ll come back to you. You won’t stay in business. You won’t last in business. But if you are honest and diligent in business, then you’re going to get the reputation for that. You cannot keep your reputation from getting around. It’ll either be good or bad.
He that gathers in summer is a wise son: but he who sleeps in the harvest is one that causes shame. Blessings are on the head of the just: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just is [sweet or] blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot ( Pro 10:5-7 ).
Think that one over. How do you want people to think of you when you’re gone? The memory of the just will be blessed. But if you’ve been rotten then your name will rot.
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but the prating fool shall fall. He that walks uprightly walks surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. He that winketh with the eye causes sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirs up strifes: but love covers all sins ( Pro 10:8-12 ).
This is quoted in the New Testament where we are told, “But love covereth a multitude of sins” ( 1Pe 4:8 ). Hatred, if you’re filled with hatred, it’s just going to stir up strife. Everybody’s going to hate you. But if you’re a loving person, they’re willing to overlook your faults. It just covers so many faults if you’re a loving person. If you’re a hateful person, man, then people are looking, they’re scrutinizing you for faults. They can’t wait to find it. It satisfies them when they can find something wrong and to see the flaws. But if you’re a loving kind of a person, then they’re just going to overlook all kinds of mistakes. So if you’re not a perfect person, then you better be a loving person and you’ll be able to get along all right. For “love covers a multitude of sins, all sins.”
In the lips of him that has understanding wisdom is found: but the rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. A rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. The labor of the righteous tends to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. He that is in the way of life that keeps instruction [or he that is in the way of life keeps instruction]: but he that refuses reproof errs. He that hides hatred with lying lips, and he that utters a slander, is a fool ( Pro 10:13-18 ).
Now there is no contrast here. There are just two things that are declared. The man who hides hatred with his lying lips, that is the deceitful, hypocrite, and the man who utters a slander. You utter something slanderous about someone else, you’re a fool.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin ( Pro 10:19 ):
In other words, the more you talk, the more you’re going to… the greater possibility you’re going to sin.
but he that refraineth his lips is wise ( Pro 10:19 ).
Better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you’re a fool, rather than to open it and remove all doubt. That’s Pro 1:4 by Chuck. I took it from the nineteenth here. There’s nothing new under the sun.
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for lack of wisdom ( Pro 10:20-21 ).
I love this one.
The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it ( Pro 10:22 ).
Oh, the blessings of the Lord. How rich they are. How rich is the time that we can spend together in a Christian fellowship and all. And there’s no sorrow with it. You know there are a lot of people out doing things and all, oh, have a great time, but oh, man, the sorrow that follows. The remorse as, you know, the chickens come home to roost, and as it begins to come back on you. But the blessings of the Lord, they just make you so rich and there’s no sorrow attached to it. It’s just good all the way.
It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding has wisdom. The fear of the wicked shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. As the whirlwind passes, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation ( Pro 10:23-25 ).
The wicked are to be destroyed, but the righteous will endure forever.
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to him that sends him ( Pro 10:26 ).
I don’t know what vinegar is to the teeth, but I do know what smoke is to the eyes. It smarts. And if you send a sluggard to do a job, man, it smarts. So is the sluggard to him who sends him.
The fear of the LORD prolongs ones days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. The mouth of the just brings forth wisdom: but the perverse tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaks perversity ( Pro 10:27-32 ).
So all of these little nuggets, as I say, they are contrasts. And this is classic Hebrew poetry. For they found beauty in the ideas and the thoughts that were expressed rather than in the rhyme or the rhythm. Whereas, to us poetry has to be in rhyme and has to be in a rhythm to be attractive to us, but with the Hebrew poetry, it’s all in the thoughts that are expressed. And usually in either the contrasting thoughts which in this chapter we have an excellent example as we were contrasting the righteous with the wicked and all, all of these contrasts to the Hebrew, that’s just beautiful. They revel in the thought, the contrasting thoughts. Where for us, you got to have the rhyme. You got to have the rhythm, you know. And then we dig on the rhyme or the rhythm of a thing.
There are strange things done neath the midnight sun
By the men who toil for gold.
The arctic trails, oh, their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold.
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the clearest they ever did see.
Was a night on the marge of the Lake Lebarge
When I cremated…
You know, the rhyme and the… We love it. You love to throw the rhyming words together. And the rhythm of it carries us. But with the Hebrew poetry, there is, there isn’t the rhythm, there isn’t the rhyme, there’s just the thoughts. And you get the beauty in the contrasting thoughts, or in the compounding of a thought, which some of these were in the compounding. A couple of them were compounding of thoughts, but most of them were contrasting thoughts.
So you get the idea of what a proverb is now as we move into these little three liners or whatever. You begin to catch the idea of the contrast of a proverb, and also of what constitutes poetry in the Hebrew idea and all.
So next week we will continue on eleven through fifteen. A lot of wisdom, a lot of understanding, a lot of knowledge packed away in these proverbs. And I pray that as we study them, that you will gain, you’ll begin to receive the words of wisdom and instruction, justice, judgment and equity; give you knowledge and discretion.
Father, we thank You for the study of Your Word and we ask You, Father, make us wise. Men of understanding hearts. Oh God, help us to come into the fear of the Lord where we might have a proper respect for You. Learning to love the things that You love. Hating those things that You hate. That we might walk in righteousness and in the uprightness of our heart before Thee, Lord, knowing that Thou, Lord, seest us day by day. Nothing is hid from Thy sight. So may we live, Lord, as in Thy presence and conscious of Thy presence. So let us walk in all purity, holiness, righteousness. Oh God, make us pure even as Jesus Christ is pure. In His name we pray. Amen. “
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary

Pro 10:1
Pro 10:1
MISCELLANEOUS PROVERBS OF SOLOMON (Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16)
We are adopting a different style of commentary on these separate, disconnected maxims, most of them needing no explanation or comment whatever. The very simplicity of these axiomatic expressions, along with their common, everyday meaning, is in fact the secret of their strength and beauty.
“There seems to be no order in the arrangement of these proverbs; and so there will be no divisions noted here other than chapters and verses. Some scholars, of course, have attempted to identify groups or subdivisions in this long list of proverbs; but none that we have seen is convincing. All such, “Groupings are secondary; and the main burden of exegesis must be borne by the individual sentences.
Many of the comments which we have reviewed are little more than the author’s attempt to repeat the message of the proverb in different phraseology; and quite frequently this is helpful. Our purpose here will be to follow, in some degree at least, that pattern of exegesis. We shall also call upon the various Old Testament translations and versions for different renditions of the various proverbs. Also, we shall, in many instances, note the various readings advocated by 19th century scholars, current authors, and the ancient versions. We shall give special attention to any New Testament light on any of these. All aboard for an exciting journey!
Pro 10:1
“A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”
“The non-mention, generally in Proverbs, of daughters and women may be attributed in part to the relatively small estimation in which women of the ancient world were held.
The teaching here is simply that, “A wise son makes a happy father, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother. Of course, the converse is true also. A wise son makes happy parents; a foolish one grieves both his father and his mother. The same thing, of course, is true of daughters. It is the antithetical pattern of most of these proverbs that dictates the phraseolgy.
Pro 10:1 After 9 chapters in this book called Proverbs, arent you surprised to see the heading, The proverbs of Solomon, here? The explanation: a proverb is a wise saying. The first 9 chapters, while exalting and containing wisdom, are not sayings but are extended topical material. The actual sayings begin here and will continue through chapter 29. The message of the verse: What we do as sons can affect the happiness or the heaviness of our parents, both while under their roof and after we leave it. The Prodigal Son (Luk 15:11-32) surely brought heavenliness upon his foolish departure and throughout his waywardness and indulgence, but he brought happiness upon his penitent return. Other passages containing the same truth: Pro 15:20; Pro 17:21; Pro 17:25; Pro 19:13; Pro 29:3; Pro 29:15. Thought for parents: The way you are now rearing your children will have much to do with your own future happiness or heaviness.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Here begin the proverbs proper. In this collection they are antithetical, They present a sharp contrast between wisdom and folly in the outworking of such in practical life. Seeing that this is indeed a collection of proverbs, there is no direct connection or system save this underlying purpose of contrast. No exposition is possible save to take each proverb and consider it in its separate value. In the majority of instances this is unnecessary, because they are self-evident expositions of one abiding truth.
Through these chapters, therefore, we shall glance only at such as may be somewhat obscure, or such as have a new element of construction or suggestiveness. In this chapter we take four such, viz., Pro 10:10; Pro 10:15; Pro 10:22-23.
Verse Pro 10:10. The contrast here is between the method of deceit which causeth sorrow, the winking of the eye, which deceives others; and that of blunt and perhaps unwise speech which, nevertheless, causes only the fall of him who uses it.
Verse Pro 10:15. This is a plain recognition of the power of wealth, and the paralysis of poverty. It is a wholesome corrective to much nonsense talked today about the blessings of poverty. Wealth may become a curse, but poverty is inherently a destruction.
Verse Pro 10:22. The antithesis is not so clearly marked here. It is, nevertheless, present to the mind in the contrast between true riches and false.
Verse Pro 10:23. The text of the Revised Version here surely catches the true contrast. A man of understanding finds sport in wisdom. That is, he gets out of wisdom the same satisfaction that a fool gets out of wickedness
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

the Righteous and the Wicked
Pro 10:1-16
Wealth has its advantages, which are more than apparent. The rich mans wealth is his strong city, Pro 10:15; but the treasures which have been obtained by wickedness are soon dissipated. They profit nothing, Pro 10:2. This book contains the striking thought that ill-earned wealth is never gathered for the benefit of the possessor, but rather for the benefit of the righteous, and must be useless until it gets into hands which will use it benevolently and rightly.
But there is another kind of wealth, which will never take wings to fly away, which no moth can corrupt nor thief steal, and which will avail not only here but here-after. Note the antithesis of Pro 10:2. If you would increase your wealth, give it away. See Pro 10:4.
The covering work of love, referred to in Pro 10:12, is emphasized in 1Co 13:7, r.v., margin, 1Pe 4:8, and Jam 5:20. God covers sin, so that the memory of it is obliterated, Eze 33:16.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

Proverbs 10
This chapter begins the second division of the book, which is strictly proverbial. Previously we have been listening to Wisdoms exhortation to enter her house. She called us to heed the instructions gathered together for our enlightenment regarding suitable behavior in all circumstances. The seductive voice of Folly would turn us aside from this right course.
Happy the man who refuses Folly and, attracted by Wisdom, conscientiously seeks to follow her words. This is particularly true of the young man, for this is the book for the direction and guidance of youth.
Scripture itself abounds with illustrious examples of almost every proverb before us. A reference will generally be given in the notes to some person or circumstance demonstrating the truth of the saying in question. These references show the fullness and richness of the Word of God and the remarkable way in which every part of it is linked up with the book of Proverbs.
10:1
The keynote struck in this verse is referred to throughout the book of Proverbs. The son who is characterized by wisdom brings joy to his father as in the case of Solomon himself (1Ch 22:12; 2Ch 1:7-12). On the other hand it is the mother who feels most keenly the folly of her child. See the record of Esau in Gen 26:34-35; 27:46.
10:2
God has not abdicated His throne as the moral governor of the universe; therefore reaping follows sowing, as surely as night follows day. As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool (Jer 17:11). On the other hand righteousness, however much one may be called on to suffer for it in this world, delivereth from death, when that death (as in the case of the flood) is an evidence of Gods judgment. In the book of Esther, Haman illustrates the first half of this proverb and Mordecai exemplifies the righteous.
10:3
Whatever his outward circumstances are, the soul of the righteous is lifted above them all and finds cause to rejoice in the midst of tribulation. The lawless have no such confidence. Their desire is often taken away in a moment, just when they are beginning to feel comfortable. The triumphant song of Habakkuk (3:17-19) fitly illustrates the first clause of Pro 10:3, and the fate of the rich fool (Luk 12:16-21) the second.
10:4
Scripture never commends slothfulness; instead it commands the Christian to be zealous. The disorderly among the Thessalonians had evidently forgotten this command (2Th 3:7-12). The apostle wrote urging them that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. Faith and laziness do not mingle. What is sometimes miscalled faith is really presumption. Diligence is the fit companion of faith. The Moabitess Ruth demonstrated both qualities. She took the place of the poor and the stranger among the gleaners in the fields of Boaz, but was exalted in due time (Ruth 2-4).
10:5
The principle abides whether in relation to time or eternity. The hour of opportunity if used profitably indicates wisdom; if neglected tells of present folly and future shame. It is of the utmost importance that one set a proper value on the God-given present; redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Eph 5:16). Let the laborer in Gods harvestfields heed the word of Pro 10:5. Now is the time to gather precious sheaves that will be cause for rejoicing in the day of the soon-coming harvest home. He who sleeps in the present reaping season will suffer shame and loss at the judgment seat of Christ. Paul was an excellent example of the diligent laborer throughout his life of ceaseless activity and concern for a dying world. Demas was one who, charmed by the love of the present world, went off to sleep and left the service for other hands. His shame abides to this day (2Ti 4:10).
10:6-7
The memory of the righteous and the wicked after their death is the same as the esteem in which they are held in life. In 2Ti 4:17 we find Paul standing for judgment before Nero. Paul calls him a lion from whose mouth he was at that time delivered. Despite his loneliness and his apparently despicable condition, this bold servant of Christ experienced the blessings of God. On the other hand, violence covered the mouth of his oppressor, leaving him without excuse before the judgment of man and of God. Both have long since passed from this world. Let the centuries witness whose memory has rotted and whose is still cause for thanksgiving!
10:8
As we have seen, wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. Those so exercised are ready indeed to bow to His Word and obey His commandments. This is the way the Christian shows his love for Christ. The babbling fool, who is too wise in his own conceit to require instruction, must learn by coming to grief. In Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar we see the wise and the fool contrasted (Dan 5:18-23).
10:9
To walk in integrity is to walk with God. Whatever misunderstanding there may be at times, the one who lives honestly will be shown to have walked securely. Men of the world confess that Honesty is the best policy. For the man of God, uprightness is not policy, but the delight of his heart. Even wicked men acknowledge that the ways of the upright are above reproach. Joseph displayed this integrity after being so severely tested (Genesis 40-41). On the contrary, he whose ways are perverse, though he may cover them for a time, must inevitably be discovered. See Zibas case (2Sa 16:1-4; 19:24-30).
10:10
Winking has always been construed as indicating a lie in what the lips utter. He whose words and intentions are opposed brings grief to others and failure to himself. The kiss of Judas was an action of this nature. Note the last clause here is the same as is in verse 8.
10:11
When a persons life is ordered by righteousness, his words will be a blessing and refreshment to others. Carelessness in speech leaves many who attempt to minister the gospel powerless and barren in their service. The testimony of their lips is not backed up by the testimony of their life. Consequently, power and usefulness are lacking. Mere good words are not necessarily used in blessing. But if they come from a heart in touch with God, as evidenced by Christlike actions, they will be a well of life to thirsty hearers. Such was the ministry of Samuel in the dark days after the death of Eli. Notice that the last clause of this verse is the same as the last clause of Pro 10:6.
10:12
The latter part of this verse is quoted in 1Pe 4:8: and above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. This does not mean that kindness on the part of one otherwise guilty before God will atone for his transgressions. Benevolence will not cover those sins in the day of judgment. I am called on to cover others faults, not my own. I am not to be indifferent to evil, but to faithfully and lovingly show my brother his sin. As he confesses it and repents of it, the sin is covered. Where love is lacking, it is a common practice to be a talebearer, which only tends to add to the evil; for the repeating of sin is defiling and often leads to life-long unhappiness and misunderstandings. In Doeg the Edomite we have a sample of the hatred that stirs up strife; Nathans dealing with David is a lovely exemplification of the love that covers (1Sa 22:9-19; 2Sa 12:1-14). See the notes on Pro 11:13.
10:13
None have exhibited the contrast of this verse so markedly as Solomon himself and his son Rehoboam. The former, having been under Gods training, had been given a wise and understanding heart (1Ki 3:5-28). Rehoboam trusted his own wisdom and the counsel of the companions of his youth. He found a rod for his back in consequence (1Ki 12:8-19).
10:14
None perceive their own limitations so clearly as the truly wise. They are characterized by humility and a willingness to learn from all who can instruct them. The conceit of the foolish knows no bounds. With their own mouths they proclaim it in the ears of all men of sound judgment. Their boasting invites destruction. From childhood Timothy followed the ways of the wise man (2Ti 3:14-15). The magician Elymas is an illustration of the boasting fool (Act 13:6-11).
10:15
This proverb only applies here on earth and in an era of peace. For riches profit not in the day of wrath (11:4); neither does temporal poverty affect future glory. See Dives and Lazarus (Luk 16:19-31).
10:16
This verse is an Old Testament way of stating the truth of Rom 8:6, For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The righteous man is the spiritual man. His labor is in accordance with the mind of God, and consequently leads to life. Everything the wicked produces is sin in the sight of infinite holiness because the sinner is polluted. He is like a poisoned well that may produce cold and sparkling water, but it is to be dreaded in the end. The first two offerers, Cain and Abel, exemplify the truth here stated (Gen 4:3-8).
10:17
As man learns to mistrust himself and to rely only on the unerring Word of God, revealed by the Holy Spirit, his feet will walk in the way of life. It is not a question of eternal life or final salvation, but following Gods chosen path. Gods children cannot afford to refuse reproof. The greatest kindness another saint can show me is to point out any portion of Gods truth that I am not following. Let me gladly receive correction to keep me from dishonoring the One who has redeemed me to Himself. Saul refused reproof and lost his kingdom (1Sa 15:23). David, even though he failed at times, was characterized by keeping instruction and walking the path of life.
10:18
Hypocrisy and tale-bearing are alike detestable. To make a false show of love and friendship while the fire of hatred bums in the heart, and to spread evil stories are most reprehensible.
In Gods Word over and over again He expressed His abhorrence of evil-speaking in unmistakable terms. Christians today do not often enough display that same hatred of that sin. In the law it is written, Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people (Lev 19:16). The tales might be true; but that could not excuse the bearer of them. If a brother or sister had sinned, there was a far different way to deal with the matter than to spread the story of his or her shame through the camp of Israel. The following verse delineates the godly way to deal with such a case: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. (17)
This command is most searching and solemn. I am bearing false witness if I repeat evil that is untrue. If it is true, I am defiling others and injuring the soul of the wrongdoer, who might be delivered from his error if I went to him in the spirit of meekness. It is an ungodly man [who] diggeth up evil (Pro 16:27). A man of God will seek to cover it by leading the sinning one to repentance and self-judgment.
The first clause of Pro 10:18 is exemplified in Joabs dealing with Abner (2Sa 3:27); the accusers of Jeremiah are described in the last clause (Jer 37:11-15).
10:19
It is remarkable how much of the Scripture God has seen fit to devote to His creatures speech. Being quick to speak often leads to sin. To refrain the lips is difficult, but it is truly wise. The entire third chapter of James is devoted to the tongue, that small but most unruly member. The man of God will weigh his words, remembering that he must give an account for every idle word. By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Mat 12:36-37). See also Ecc 5:1-7.
10:20
Tongue and heart seem to be used here almost synonymously, for the one is controlled by the other. The tongue of the just indicates a heart in subjection to God. Therefore the words uttered are valuable. The heart of the lawless is revealed by his idle and perverse conversation. It was so in the case of Simon the Sorcerer, while his reprover displayed the opposite (Act 8:18-24).
10:21
The righteous mans conversation is not only without foolishness and slanderous statements, but it is profitable. When he speaks, it is for edification. Others are blessed; his lips feed many. Not so with the fool. His speech is worthless, and he lacks the heart to learn from those who could instruct him. Samuel and Saul again come to mind. Samuels words were a means of blessing to thousands, but the unhappy man he had anointed failed to profit by them. See also verses 31-32.
10:22
It is great foolishness to reject eternal pleasures and imperishable riches. They are untainted by sorrow, whereas the vain trinkets offered by the world and Satan leave only pain and disappointment! The blessing of the Lord is found in the pathway of obedience. Even Christians often miss it by laxity and indifference to moral and doctrinal evil. Walking by the light of their own fire they have only themselves to blame when their life ends in sorrow.
It is not that the blessing of the Lord ensures freedom from tribulation in this world; but whatever the trial, all can be received as from a loving Fathers hand. Habbakuk and Paul, in large measure, had entered into the blessing spoken of here (Habbakuk 3:17-19; Php 4:11-13).
10:23
The wise man shrinks with horror from the mischief the fool practices with complacency and fiendish delight. The man of understanding, whose heart and mind are controlled by the fear of the Lord, will behave himself wisely in a perfect way. Such a fool was Balaam; and Phinehas was a man of understanding, whose wisdom stayed the vengeance of the Lord (Num 31:16; 25:6-13).
10:24-25
The two proverbs are really one, contrasting the expectation and end of the righteous and the wicked. The lawless, however bold he appears, has a gnawing fear of impending calamity. He should dread the future, for it holds unsparing judgment for him. The desire of the righteous will as surely be granted-even eternal blessing.
As the whirlwind passes, the wicked will pass away and be in this world no more. It is not a question of extinction of being. He will be gone from earth into a dark and grief-filled eternity. But Gods imperishable truth is the everlasting foundation of the righteous. Daniel and his accusers illustrate the two sides (Dan 6:4-24).
10:26
A strong acid sets the teeth on edge and smoke inflames the eyes. In the same way it is irritating to place confidence in a man who is really indifferent to the success or failure of his commission. How often have the Lords messengers proven to be sluggards. They dally with the world, turning aside for any trifle, instead of pursuing their path with purpose of heart! See the unfaithful servant in Luk 19:20-26.
10:27-30
Though each is a distinct proverb, these four proverbs contrast the righteous and the lawless regarding both their present and their future condition. In this world the fear of the Lord prolongs life; whereas the indiscretions and iniquities of the lawless break their physical strength and shorten their days. In eternity, gladness will be the fulfilled hope of the righteous; while the expectation of the wicked will perish and his reward will be endless judgment.
Strength is found in the way of Jehovah. Those who tread the paths of sin find destruction and woe. In the age to come, the portion of the righteous will abide; he will never be removed. The evildoer however will have no inheritance in the glorious kingdom. In both worlds the lawless are not gainers, but losers, because of their willful rejection of the Word of Life; while godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come (1Ti 4:8).
There are many examples that confirm these solemn truths: Cain and Abel; Noah and the antediluvian world; Abraham and his idolatrous kin; Isaac and Ishmael; Jacob and Esau; Joseph and his accusers-all in the first book of the Bible. The remaining books of the Bible also tell of a vast number who give witness to this great contrast that has been confirmed through the ages.
10:31-32
The chapter closes with two additional proverbs on the tongue. We have noticed the way and end of the two classes of people mentioned in these proverbs. Again we are instructed as to the difference in their speech, which reveals the state of their hearts. Wisdom and acceptable words proceed from the lips of the righteous, like clear streams from a pure fountain. Perverseness pours out like a filthy torrent from the mouth of the wicked. It soon will be silenced in judgment. Jezebel is a solemn beacon, declaring the truth of this proverb in regard to the wicked. Elijah, whom she hated, may be cited as an instance on the other side.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets

Pro 10:5
Summer is the right season for gathering in the harvest. To say, then, that it is wise to gather in summer is only saying, in other words, that a wise man will make the most of his opportunities, and will gather whatever he has to gather at the best and fittest season.
I. Is not this a practical lesson for children, as soon as they begin to learn? Their summer is the time they spend at school. That time is just as much the season for them to learn in, as the month of August is the season for their fathers to reap in.
II. Is not this a practical lesson for those who are in the prime and strength of life? These are in the summer of their days, so far as practice is concerned. The seeds of the good principles which were sown in them during their childhood should now be springing up in them, and ripening and bearing fruit. Do not sleep in this your spiritual harvest of duty to God and man. If you are far gone in manhood, and have slept hitherto, call to mind St. Paul’s words, that now it is high time for you to awake out of that sleep. If you are just entering into manhood, beware of falling asleep. If it would be madness to put off the harvest of the bread that perishes, how much worse than madness must it he to put off the harvest of holiness and obedience!
A. W. Hare, The Alton Sermons, p. 269.
Reference: Pro 10:6-12.-R. Wardlaw, Lectures on Proverbs, vol. i., p. 230.
Pro 10:7
I. Who are meant by the “just” to whom blessedness is here attributed? By the just alluded to here are meant those who, having felt the power of God in that call which God makes to men to be His servants, have obeyed that call, and have given themselves to the service of the Most High. God calls everyone to do some work for Him, and He expects everyone to do that work “justly.” (1) The justice of the just will consist, first, of that which lies at the very basis of all true religion, namely, prayer. It is utterly impossible for the inner life of the true Christian to be supported without prayer. You do not expect a man to battle against a mighty current without stretching forth his hands to swim; even so, a man cannot live in the tossing sea of doubt and difficulty without stretching forth his hands, in the spirit of grace and of supplication, to implore assistance through the name and on account of the merits of Jesus Christ alone. (2) Again, the justice of the just consists in a constant endeavour to cultivate such a spirit of faith as shall promote an abiding sense of God’s presence and of Christ’s love. There can be no godliness where God is not in all the thoughts. There can be no true Christianity save where the heart is so dependent upon Christ that all hope is based on His Atonement, all joy looked for through His Cross. (3) Again, the justice alluded to in the text may be said to imply a constant endeavour to further the true interests of the Church of God. Everyone who has become a member of Christ’s body must take heed to, and respect, that body of which he is a member.
II. What does the text say of the just man? It says that his memory is blessed. His memory is sweet and precious. His name is ever spoken of with honour and commendation. “Men to whom he has been useful, either in things spiritual or in things temporal, bless him whilst he is alive, and after death they pronounce him to be blessed.” “The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.”
E. Cheese, Oxford and Cambridge Undergraduates’ Journal, May 12th, 1881.
I. “The memory of the just is blessed”-self-evidently so, for the mind blesses it, reverts to it with complacency, mingled with solemnity, returns to it with delight from the sight of the living evil in the world, sometimes even prefers this silent society to the living good.
II. Their memory is blessed when we consider them as practical illustrations, verifying examples of the excellence of genuine religion, and that it is a noble thing in human nature, and makes, and alone makes, that nature noble.
III. Their memory is blessed while we regard them as diminishing to our view the repulsiveness and horror of death. Our Lord’s dying was the fact that threw out the mightiest agency to this effect. But, in their measure, His faithful disciples have done the same.
IV. Their memory is blessed as combined with the whole progress of the cause of God on earth, with its living agency through every stage. Think what they have been employed and empowered to do in the propagation of truth, in the incessant warfare against all manner of evil, in the exemplification of all the virtues by which he could be honoured.
V. Is it not a reasonable object of Christian desire to leave a memory that shall be “blessed”? Not a passion for vainglory, not that so-extolled aspiring to endless fame. But a desire that the remembrance which will remain in the minds of those who are to survive or follow should not be one causing pain, disappointment, or shame. A wish to be, in remembrance, numbered with the faithful and zealous servants of God and Christ.
J. Foster, Lectures, 2nd series, p. 220.
References: Pro 10:7.-W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven, 1st series, p. 236; D. Burns, Christian World Pulpit, vol. vi., p. 328. Pro 10:8.-W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven, 1st series, p. 238. Pro 10:9.-Ibid., p. 240; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. v., p. 16. Pro 10:11.-W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven, 1st series, p. 242. Pro 10:12.-W. R. Nicoll, Calls to Christ, p. 41. Pro 10:13-18.-R. Wardlaw, Lectures on Proverbs, vol. i., p. 241. Pro 10:14.-Ibid., p. 245. Pro 10:15.-Ibid., p. 247. Pro 10:18-21.-Ibid., p. 255. Pro 10:19-32.-Ibid., p. 254.
Pro 10:22
Look at two facts in connection with the Divine blessing exhibited here:-
I. It enriches. (1) Sometimes the blessing of the Lord is material and temporal wealth, as in the case of Abram. (2) More frequently it is not wealth, but food convenient for us.
(3) Godly contentment in poverty is another form of the blessing of the Lord. (4) This blessing turns every possession into wealth. (5) There are some things wrapped up in the blessing of the Lord which are of priceless value. He who has the blessing of salvation is rich indeed.
II. It has no drawbacks. (1) There is no remorse as to the means of acquisition, when the good things you possess you have received as a blessing from the Lord. (2) To acquire good things is to prevent all misgiving as to the right of possession. (3) In this state there is no misgiving as to the power of keeping what we have; and further, there is no alloy in the use of enjoyment.
S. Martin, Westminster Chapel Pulpit, 2nd series, No. 1.
The truth here is twofold. It means that God’s blessing gives material wealth; and also, that they are rich who have that blessing, although they get nothing more.
I. The silver and the gold are His, and He gives them to whomsoever He will. He who rules in the highest, reaches down to the minutest concerns of this world, and controls them all.
II. His blessing makes rich. “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Here is a mixture prescribed by the All-wise, for satisfying a soul, and attaining success in life. “He addeth no sorrow with it.” The word seems to imply that there are two ways of acquiring wealth. Some people grow rich without God’s blessing, and some people grow rich by it. It would appear that the god of the world gives riches to his subjects sometimes, when neither giver nor getter owns the supremacy of the Almighty, and that God Himself gives riches to some who are His children. Wherein lies the difference, since both the godless and the godly have gotten wealth? It lies here: He addeth no sorrow with it, but that other lord does.
W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven, 1st series, p. 259.
References: Pro 10:22.-Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 62. Pro 10:23 (with Pro 14:9).-W. Arnot, Laws from Heaven, 1st series, p. 264. Pro 10:24.-Ibid., p. 268. Pro 10:25.-Ibid., p. 273. Pro 10:26.-Ibid., p. 274.
Pro 10:29
The words “shall be” in the last clause are a supplement. They are quite unnecessary, and in fact they rather hinder the sense. They destroy the completeness of the antithesis between the two halves of the verse. If you leave them out, and suppose that the “way of the Lord” is what is spoken of in both clauses, you get a far deeper and fuller meaning. It is the same way which is strength to one man and ruin to another, and the moral nature of the man determines which it shall be to him.
I. The “way of the Lord” means here, not the road in which God prescribes that we should walk, but the road in which He Himself walks; or in other words, the sum of the Divine action, the solemn footsteps of God through creation, providence, and history. The same way, the same set of facts, the same continuous stream of tendency, which is all with and for every form of good, is all against every form of evil. God’s way has a bright side and a dark. You may take which you like. The way of the Lord must touch your way. You cannot alter that necessity. Your path must either run parallel in the same direction with His, and then all His power will be an impulse to bear you onward; or it must run in the opposite direction, and then all His power will be for your ruin, and the collision with it will crush you as a ship is crushed like an eggshell when it strikes an iceberg. You can choose which of these shall befall you.
II. Look at the application or illustration of the principles that are here. (1) The order of the universe, is such that righteousness is life and sin is death. (2) In our physical life, as a rule, virtue makes strength, sin brings punishment. (3) In higher regions, on the whole, goodness makes blessedness, and evil brings ruin. All the powers of God’s universe and all the tenderness of God’s heart, are on the side of the man that does right. (4) This same fact of the twofold aspect and operation of the one way of the Lord will be made yet more evident in the future. I can conceive it possible that the one manifestation of God in a future life may be in substance the same, and yet that it may produce opposite effects upon oppositely disposed souls. (5) The self-revelation of God has this double aspect: every truth concerning Him may be either a joy or a terror to men. As the very crown of the ways of God, the work of Christ and the record of it in the Gospel have most eminently this double aspect. That which is meant to be the savour of life unto life must either be that or the savour of death unto death.
A. Maclaren, A Year’s Ministry, 2nd series, p. 279.
Fuente: The Sermon Bible

II. THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON: CHAPTERS 10–19:19
Beginning with the tenth chapter we have the collection of proverbs given by inspiration through Solomon. In this section the personal address, My son, and the personal exhortations are missing. It will be noticed that each verse in this section contains a proverb, consisting each of two lines, mostly of an antithetic character, except Pro 19:7, which has three lines instead of two (a tristich).
It is impossible to give a detailed analysis of these chapters, nor can we take up each proverb separately for meditation. This must be left to each reader. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, and a prayerful study of these terse sayings, the heavenly wisdom given in these chapters can readily be found. There is no end to practical application. Yet even in these chapters a certain order is maintained. The contrast in each chapter is between the righteous and the wicked, between right and wrong.
CHAPTER 10 The Godly and the Ungodly in Life and Conduct
The opening proverbs are concerning treasures, earthly substance. What an important sentence, Treasures of wickedness profit nothing! Throughout these proverbs there are the warnings concerning getting riches, or as it is expressed in a modern phrase getting rich quick (Pro 28:20), and the dangers connected with it.
These grave warnings of Wisdom are especially needed at the present time in England and America, when the undisguised and the unrestrained pursuit of riches has become more and more recognized as the legitimate end of life, so that few people feel any shame in admitting that this is their aim; and the clear unimpassioned statements of the result, which always follows on the unhallowed passion receive daily confirmation from the occasional revelations of our domestic, our commercial and our criminal life. He that is greedy of gain, we are told, troubleth his own house. An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed. A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he that maketh haste to be rich (and consequently cannot by any possibility be faithful) shall not be unpunished. He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches, and knoweth not that want shall come upon him. Weary not thyself, therefore, it is said, to be rich; which, though it may be the dictate of thine own wisdom, is really unmixed folly, burdened with a load of calamity for the unfortunate seeker, for his house, and for all those who are in any way dependent upon him (Expositors Bible).
There are also warnings against being slack, which maketh poor, while the hand of the diligent, he that is up and doing, maketh rich. We find promises and assurance for the godly like these: Righteousness delivereth from death … the Lord will not suffer the righteous, the soul of the righteous to famish … blessings are upon the head of the just … the memory of the just is blessed.
The walk and conduct of the two classes are contrasted, especially in relation to the mouth and lips. The walk of the righteous is the sure walk (Pro 10:9); the mouth of the righteous is a well of life, it is a fountain for good Pro 10:11. In this proverb we are reminded of Joh 4:10; Joh 7:38, the believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit welling forth waters of life. While violence covers the mouth of the wicked and hatred does nothing but stir up strife, love, the true love in the heart of the just covereth all transgressions. (See 1Pe 4:8 and Jam 5:20.) Whoever has understanding his lips speak wisdom. In all these proverbs there is something to be learned in a practical way and many blessed lessons are written here for all who desire to walk righteously, godly and soberly in this evil age. Here is a test, for instance, He is in the way of life that heedeth correction Pro 10:17, corrected translation). But as soon as one forsaketh reproof he errs. How well it would be if children of God would daily consider Pro 10:19. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, but he that refraineth his lips is wise. The fear of the wicked, the fear of the Lord, the hope of the righteous and the expectations of the wicked are furthermore contrasted in this chapter.
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

foolish son
A “fool” in Scripture is never a mentally deficient person, but rather one arrogant and self-sufficient; one who orders his life as if there were no God. See, for illustration, Luk 12:16-20. The rich man was not mentally deficient, but he was a “fool” because he supposed that his soul could live on the things in the barn, giving no thought to his eternal wellbeing.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

proverbs: Pro 1:1, Pro 25:1, 1Ki 4:32, Ecc 12:9
A wise: Pro 15:20, Pro 17:21, Pro 17:25, Pro 19:13, Pro 23:15, Pro 23:16, Pro 23:24, Pro 23:25, Pro 29:3, Pro 29:15, Ecc 2:19
Reciprocal: 2Sa 18:33 – would God 1Ki 5:7 – a wise son Pro 13:1 – wise Pro 15:5 – fool Pro 19:26 – wasteth Pro 23:23 – Buy Pro 27:11 – be wise
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Some regard the division now entered upon as the original nucleus of the whole collection of proverbs (see the first sentence of verse one). The division extends really to the close of chapter 22, and contains maxims, precepts and admonitions with respect to the most diverse relations of life. In so much of it as is covered by the present lesson we have a contrast between the godly and the ungodly, and their respective lots in life.
We have this contrast set before us, first in general terms (chap. 10), and after that, to the end of the lesson, in detail, as follows:
As to the just and unjust, and good and bad conduct towards ones neighbor (chap. 11) As to the domestic and public associations (chap. 12) As to the use of a temporal good, and of the Word of God as the highest good (chap. 13) As to the relation between the wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, masters and servants (chap. 14) As to the various other relations and callings in life, especially within the sphere of religion (chap. 15)
MEMORY VERSE AND CHOICE TEXTS
This lesson is not suggestive of questions, but contains verses it would be well to memorize. For example, in:
Pro 10:7; Pro 10:9; Pro 10:14; Pro 10:22; Pro 10:25; Pro 11:1-2; Pro 11:13; Pro 11:24-26; Pro 11:30; Pro 13:7; Pro 13:15; Pro 13:24; Pro 14:10; Pro 14:12; Pro 14:25; Pro 14:27; Pro 14:32; Pro 14:34; Pro 15:1; Pro 15:3; Pro 15:8.
Fuente: James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary

Pro 10:1. The Proverbs of Solomon Properly so called; for the foregoing chapters, although they had this title in the beginning of them, yet, in truth, were only a preparation to them, intended to stir up mens minds to the greater attention to all the precepts of wisdom, whereof some here follow; see the argument prefixed to this chapter. A wise son That is, prudent, and especially virtuous and godly, as this word commonly signifies in this book, and in many other parts of Scripture; maketh a glad father And a glad mother too; for both parents are to be understood in both branches of the sentence, as is evident from the nature of the thing, which affects both of them, and from parallel places, as Pro 17:25; Pro 30:17, although only one be expressed in each branch for the greater elegance. A foolish son is the heaviness of his mother The occasion of her great sorrow, which is decently ascribed to the mothers rather than to the fathers, because their passions in general are more vehement, and they are more susceptible of grief and trouble. Although I cannot affirm, says Bishop Patrick, that there is an order observed in all these proverbs, yet this first sentence seems not to have been casually, but designedly, set in the front of the rest; because nothing contributes so much, every way, to the happiness of mankind, as a religious care about the education of children, which parents are here admonished to attend to if they desire their children should not prove a grief and shame to them: and children are put in mind of the obedience they owe to their instructions, that they may be a joy to them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Pro 10:1. The Proverbs of Solomon. The nine preseding chapters may be regarded as a vestibule to the temple. Wisdom has been personified, and folly thrown into the darker shades. We have had a chain of arguments, and a succession of very expressive figures; now we shall find rings of gold, comprising a complete sense. But as the words often occur in other places, there is no need to illustrate more than where real edification can be conferred. When the sense is plain, illustration may occasion obscurity. It is often difficult to translate a proverb, without either defacing its beauty, or diminishing its force. Our school, books therefore illustrate the proverbs of one nation, by giving us wise and witty sayings of another of similar import. This method loads the pupil with a double portion of wisdom.A wise son, prudent in life, assiduous in business, and sincerely devout, causes the fathers heart to overflow with joy. He is a pillar to the family, when the parent is called away: he raises all the house to honour. But a foolish son, bringing heaviness on his mother, is the antithesis of the former character.
Pro 10:2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing. Indulging in pride and carnal pleasures, the wicked become dissipated; they often perish by unlawful pleasures, and the curse of oppression or the rust of ill-gotten gain testifies against them.
Pro 10:7. The memory of the just is blessed. He dies indeed, as the smiling harvest is cut down when fully ripe; but the whole neighbourhood and the wide circle of his friends weep, as though each family had lost a father. His piety, his charities, his zeal for religion, and his universal benevolence, are treasured up in the memory of posterity as a fragrant balm. Yea, his opposers in life are afflicted at his death, because they have lost a pillar of righteousness, and the only man who faithfully warned them of their faults. Thus by faith the elders obtained a good report; and thus the holy prophets, stoned in one age, had marble sepulchres built in another.
Pro 10:9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely. He walks in piety towards God, in equity towards men. He cannot accommodate himself to the humours of the age, and the caprice of unstable friends. The times may change, but his principles are fixed.
Pro 10:10. A prating fool shall fall. This clause is repeated from Pro 10:8; but the LXX and other Versions here read, He that reproveth with freedom maketh peace.
Pro 10:19. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. What unwise person can let his tongue run for a long time, and not exaggerate both subjects and characters, or depress them far beyond the line of truth? What man can talk long in the ears of wiser men than himself, and not betray his folly? Perhaps in his long tale he is set right five or six times, yet he has courage to proceed! Perhaps he talks in anger, and then the sinfulness of his heart is discovered by his tongue. Let us learn wisdom, and then speak when we can either please or edify our friends, and when our conversation can be seasoned with the grace of every christian temper. Then the tongue of the just is as choice silver.
Pro 10:22. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich. It is given to a good man, without the sorrow and anguish which the wicked have with wealth. The good man will not tempt providence to acquire riches. He naturally slides into the line of his profession as a tree takes possession of a good soil, and spreads his branches toward the skies. The streams of wealth pour into his fountain, and his cup overflows with blessings. When losses and afflictions come, he believes they are also from the Lord. Hence he smiles at a loss, and is supported under pain. But the wicked repine, blaspheme, and afflict their soul with sorrows productive of death.
Pro 10:25. As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more. See Job 38:1. Psa 58:9. This wind, in some hurricanes, carries all away that falls within its whirl. Tyranny, wars, and violence often in the same manner involve ungodly men in ruin.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Pro 10:2 (cf. Psa 3:7). righteousness: the growth of the conception of righteousness is an important subject. As in the Pss., there is a specific class the righteous opposed to the wicked. The righteous are generally synonymous with the poor and afflicted remnant, sometimes equivalent to the Hasidim of the Greek period. In general the tendency of the conception of righteousness is towards a specific moral character, rather than towards the fulfilment of legal duties. This is important in view of the implied contrast in the Synoptic Gospels between the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and such a righteousness as our Lord taught to be the condition of entrance into the kingdom of God (cf. Mat 5:20).
Pro 10:5. Proverbs on agriculture abound in this section, but afford no indication of date. They suggest, however, the popular source of many of the proverbs, the fruit of practical experience rather than of philosophic reflection.
Pro 10:6 b is repeated in Pro 10:11, where it is evidently in place; here it yields no satisfactory contrast, and has probably come in by mistake for the real contrasting clause, which is lost. For verbal parallel cf. Hab 2:17,
Pro 10:8 b is repeated in Pro 10:10*, where it destroys the antithesis. It yields no satisfactory antithesis here. Possibly the contrast is that the wise man listens in silence and is saved, while the fool is too busy talking to heed the warning which would save him from a fall.
Pro 10:9. shall be known: some contrast to walks securely is required. Read shall suffer.
Pro 10:10 b has come in by mistake from Pro 10:8. The LXX may preserve the original antithesis, he who reproves openly makes peace (cf. Pro 27:5 f.). If so, the winking in Pro 10:10 may not mean stirring up strife as in Pro 6:13, but rather conniving at wrongdoing in contrast to faithful reproof.
Pro 10:11. a fountain of life: Pro 13:14, Pro 14:27, Pro 16:22 (cf. Psa 36:9).
Pro 10:12. love covereth: 1Pe 4:8, Jas 5:20, give an independent version, possibly based on an Aram. original, and it may be ultimately a saying of our Lords.
Pro 10:13 b occurs in Pro 26:3 in a much more obvious connexion.
Pro 10:14. lay up knowledge: this quite destroys the antithesis. Read conceal their knowledge. The contrast between wise reticence and foolish licence in speech is the subject of many proverbs (cf. Pro 10:19; Pro 11:13, etc.; Sir 9:18; Sir 20:5-7).present destruction: better, imminent ruin.
Pro 10:15. The power of wealth against the defencelessness of poverty is illustrated both in the legal codes and the history (cf. Isa 5:8, Neh 5:5).
Pro 10:16. labour: read wages. The contrast is between the reward of righteousness and wickedness.
Pro 10:18. The form apparently deserts the usual antithesis and presents a synthetic parallelism. LXX reads righteous lips cover hatred, perhaps the original text.
Pro 10:19-21. Proverbs relating to the use of speech.
Pro 10:22 b may be rendered as RV, or with many commentators labour adds not to it (cf. mg.), an excellent sense, but hardly in harmony with the outlook of Pr.
Pro 10:23 b. Both the Heb. and the general sense are against the common rendering. Read but for a man of understanding it is a matter of worth.
Pro 10:24 f. (cf. Pro 10:27-30) states the retributive theory of the moral government of the world, which is so passionately challenged in Job as contrary to experience.
Pro 10:26. One of the many aphorisms about the sluggard, it seems to interrupt the connexion between Pro 10:24 f. and Pro 10:27-30. Possibly it belonged originally, as its form suggests, to Pro 10:25 f.
Pro 10:30. dwell in the land: it was through the Exile that to dwell in the land, Yahwehs land, came to be the expression of the highest hope of the pious Jew, and became a part of the Messianic hope. Cf. Hos 9:3 for an early expression, and Isa 33:17 for a development of the idea. It is reflected in Mat 5:5.
Pro 10:31 f. Connected in subject with Pro 10:19-21. The two groups
Pro 10:19-21; Pro 10:31 f., and Pro 10:24 f., Pro 10:27-30may originally have formed separate collections.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

A. Marks of Wise Living chs. 10-15
Solomon advocated choosing things that benefit and things that have true and lasting value. He pictured wise living in a variety of contexts. He urged making wise investments, valuing righteousness, and avoiding trouble. He also pointed out the fruits of wise living and concluded this section of the book with further advice for wise living.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

II. COLLECTION 2: SOLOMON’S COUPLETS EXPRESSING Wisdom 10:1-22:16
Chapters 1-9, as we have seen, contain discourses that someone, probably Solomon, wrote urging his son to choose the way of wisdom for his life. However, Kidner believed that if Solomon had written the first nine chapters, Pro 10:1 would read, "These also are proverbs of Solomon." [Note: Kidner, p. 22.] At Pro 10:1, we begin the part of the book that sets forth what "the wise way" is in a variety of life situations.
"Until now the book of Proverbs has been identifying the truly wise man. From this point on, it will describe how such a man should conduct his life from day to day. This logical topical order appears in many New Testament epistles, where the saved person is first identified, and then the daily life he should live is described [e.g., Romans 1-5, 6-8; Ephesians 1-3, 4-6]." [Note: Irving L. Jensen, Proverbs, p. 64.]
"The main thought is that moral goodness and industry bring prosperity, and wickedness and indolence adversity . . ." [Note: Toy, p. 196.]
There are 184 maxims in chapters 10-15 and 191 in chapters 16-22 for a total of 375. [Note: Jensen, p. 65.] A maxim is a succinct or pithy saying that has some proven truth to it, a general rule, principle, or truth. This group represents only a few of the 3,000 proverbs Solomon wrote (1Ki 4:32). Waltke wrote that the Book of Proverbs contains 930 sayings. [Note: Waltke, The Book . . ., p. xxi.] Most of the proverbs in this section are one verse long and contain two lines each; they are couplets. The second line contrasts, compares, or completes the idea expressed in the first line. This is Hebrew parallelism. In chapters 10-15, most couplets contain antithetic parallelism. The key word is "but." In chapters 16-22, there are more synonymous parallelisms marked by the conjunction "and." There are also continuous sentences in which the second line continues the thought of the first line (e.g., Pro 14:26). Some couplets contain comparisons in which the relative value of two things is set forth (e.g., Pro 11:31). Some contain a statement in the first line followed by an explanation in the second line (e.g., Pro 20:2). [Note: For further discussion, see R. N. Whybray, The Book of Proverbs, pp. 57-59.]
Is there any logic to the arrangement of these seemingly unrelated proverbs? In some places there is a general association of ideas, and in some places there is a recurring key word (e.g., "king" in Pro 16:12-15, and "Yahweh" in Pro 16:1-7). However, many of these couplets have no logical connection with what immediately precedes or follows in the context. This anthology style is typical of other ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature.
"The absence of a systematic arrangement is due to the traditional character of the contents. There is no need of a closely knit argument; striking images, incisive wording are all that is required to give a fresh appeal to the truth of familiar viewpoints." [Note: Frankfort, p. 61.]
"It is also surprising to find lofty precepts mixed with more ’trivial’ apothegms. Of course, this is a misconception based on the modern-day viewpoint of life. From the sages’ perspective each proverb is an expression of ’wisdom,’ which is . . . the fixed order of reality. Viewed from this perspective no sentence is trivial . . ." [Note: Waltke, "The Book . . .," p. 226.]
Why did the Holy Spirit not arrange these proverbs topically so we could study all of them that deal with one subject together? Perhaps He did so because the method He chose is "a course of education in the life of wisdom." [Note: Kidner, p. 22.]
"As we read Proverbs chapter by chapter, the Spirit of God has the freedom to teach us about many subjects, and we never know from day to day which topic we’ll need the most. Just as the Bible itself isn’t arranged like a systematic theology, neither is Proverbs. What Solomon wrote is more like a kaleidoscope than a stained-glass window: We never know what the next pattern will be." [Note: Wiersbe, p. 16. See also p. 59.]
In the notes that follow (on Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16), I have commented only on those proverbs that appear to me to need clarification in the NASB.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

1. Things that produce profit 10:1-14
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

CHAPTER 11
WEALTH
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.” Pro 10:2
“Oer weening statesmen have full long relied
On fleets and armies and external wealth;
But from within proceeds a Nations health.”
-Wordsworth
NO moral system is complete which does not treat with clearness and force the subject of wealth. The material possessions of an individual or of a nation are in a certain sense the prerequisites of all moral life; for until the human being has food to eat he cannot be virtuous, he cannot even live; until he has clothing he cannot be civilized; and unless he has a moderate assurance of necessaries, and a certain margin of leisure secured from the toil of life, he cannot live well, and there can be no moral development in the full sense of that term. And so with a nation: it must have a sufficient command of the means of subsistence to maintain a considerable number of people who are not engaged in productive labor, before it can make much advance in the noblest qualities of national life, progress in the arts, extension of knowledge, and spiritual cultivation. The production of wealth, therefore, if not strictly speaking a moral question itself, presses closely upon all other moral questions. Wisdom must have something to say about it, because, without it, Wisdom, in a material world like ours, could not exist.
Wisdom will be called upon to direct the energies which produce wealth, and to determine the feelings with which we are to regard the wealth which is produced.
Moral problems weightier still begin to emerge when the question of Distribution presents itself. Moral considerations lie at the root of this question; and Political Economy, so far as it attempts to deal with it apart from moral considerations, must always be merely, a speculative, and not a practical or a fruitful science.
If Production is in a sense the presupposition of all moral and spiritual life, no less certainly correct moral conceptions-may we not even say true spiritual conditions?-are the indispensable means of determining Distribution. For a society in which every individual is striving with all his strength or cunning to procure for himself the largest possible share of the common stock, in which therefore the material possessions gravitate into the hands of the strong and the unscrupulous, while the weak and the honorable are left destitute-such a society, if it ever came into existence, would be a demoralized society. Such a demoralization is always probable when the means of production have been rapidly and greatly improved, and when the fever of getting has overpowered the sense of righteousness and all the kindlier human feelings. Such a demoralization is to be averted by securing attention to the abiding moral principles which must govern mens action in the matter of wealth, and by enforcing these principles with such vividness of illustration and such cogency of sanction that they shall be generally accepted and practiced.
In our own day this question of the distribution of wealth stands in the front rank of practical questions. Religious teachers must face it, or else they must forfeit their claim to be the guides and instructors of their generation.
Socialists are grappling with this question not altogether in a religious spirit: they have stepped into a gap which Christians have left empty; they have recognized a great spiritual issue when Christians have seen nothing but a material problem of pounds, shillings, and pence, of supply and demand, of labor and capital. Where Socialism adopts the program of Revolution, Wisdom cannot give in her adhesion; she knows too well that suffering, impatience, and despair are unsafe, although very pathetic, counselors: she knows too well that social upheaval does not produce social reconstruction, but a weary entail of fresh upheavals; she has learnt, too, that society is organic, and cannot, like Pelops in the myth, win rejuvenescence by being cut up and cast into the cauldron, but can advance only by a quiet and continuous growth, in which each stage comes naturally and harmoniously out of the stage which preceded. But all Socialism is not revolutionary. And Wisdom cannot withhold her sympathy and her aid where Socialism takes the form of stating, and expounding, and enforcing truer conceptions concerning the distribution of wealth. It is by vigorous and earnest grappling with the moral problem that the way of advance is prepared; every sound lesson therefore in the right way of regarding wealth, and in the use of wealth, is a step in the direction of that social renovation which all earnest men at present desire.
The book of Proverbs presents some very clear and decisive teaching on this question, and it is our task now to view this teaching, scattered and disconnected though it be, as a whole.
I. The first thing to be noted in the book is its frank and full recognition that Wealth has its advantages, and Poverty has its disadvantages. There is no quixotic attempt to overlook, as many moral and spiritual systems do, the perfectly obvious facts of life. The extravagance and exaggeration which led St. Francis to choose Poverty as his bride find no more sanction in this Ancient Wisdom than in the sound teaching of our Lord and His Apostles. The rich mans wealth is his strong city, {Pro 10:15, Pro 18:11} we are told, and as a high wall in his own imagination, while the destruction of the poor is their poverty. The rich man can ransom himself from death if by chance he has fallen into difficulties, though this benefit is to Some extent counterbalanced by the reflection that the poor escape the threats of such dangers, as no bandit would care to attack a man with an empty purse and a threadbare cloak. {Pro 13:8} The rich man gains many advantages through his power of making gifts; it brings him before great men, {Pro 18:16} “it procures him universal friendship, such as it is, {Pro 19:6, Pro 14:20} it enables him to pacify the anger of an adversary, {Pro 21:14} for indeed a gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it, whithersoever it turneth it prospereth. Not only does wealth make many friends, “it also secures positions of influence and authority, over those who are poorer, enabling a man to sit in Parliament or to gain the governorship of a colony. {Pro 22:17} It gives even the somewhat questionable advantage of being able to treat others with brusqueness and hauteur.
On the other hand, the poor man has to use entreaties. {Pro 18:23} His poverty separates him from his neighbors, and even incurs his neighbors hatred. {Pro 14:20, Pro 19:4} Nay, worse than this, his friends go far from him, his very brethren hate him, if he calls after them they quickly get out of his reach; while the necessity of borrowing from wealthier men keeps him in a position of continual bondage. {Pro 22:7} Indeed, nothing can compensate for being without the necessaries of life: “Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and is his own servant, than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread.”
Since then Poverty is a legitimate subject of dread, there are urgent exhortations to diligence and thrift, quite in accordance with the excellent apostolic maxim that if a man will not work he shall not eat; while there are forcible statements of the things which tend to poverty, and of the courses which result in comfort and wealth. Thus it is pointed out how slack and listless labor leads to poverty, while industry leads to wealth. {Pro 10:4} We are reminded that the obstinate refusal to be corrected is a fruitful source of poverty, {Pro 13:18} while the humble and pious mind is rewarded with riches as well as with honor and life. {Pro 22:4} In the house of the wise man are found treasures as well as all needful supplies. {Pro 21:20} Drunkenness and gluttony lead to poverty, and drowsiness clothes a man with rags. {Pro 23:21} And there is a beautiful injunction to engage in an agricultural life, which is the only perennial source of wealth, the only secure foundation of a peoples prosperity. As if we were back in patriarchal times, we are thus admonished in the later proverbs of Solomon:- {Pro 27:23-27}
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, And look well to thy herds; For riches are not forever; And doth the crown endure unto all generations? The hay is carried, and the tender grass showeth itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in. The lambs are for thy clothing, And the goats are the price of the field: And there will be goats milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; And maintenance for thy maidens.”
II. But now, making all allowance for the advantages of wealth, we have to notice some of its serious drawbacks. To begin with, it is always insecure. If a man places any dependence upon it, it will fail him; only in his imagination is it a sure defense. {Pro 11:28} “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone. For riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.” {Pro 23:5 margin}
But further if the wealth has been obtained in any other way than by honest labor it is useless, at any rate for the owner, and indeed worse than useless for him.
As the text says, treasures of wickedness profit nothing. In the revenues of the wicked is trouble. Got in light and fallacious ways, the money dwindles; only when gathered by labor does it really increase. {Pro 13:11} When it is obtained by falsehood-by the tricks and misrepresentations of trade, for example-it may be likened to a vapor driven to and fro-nay, rather to a mephitic vapor, a deadly exhalation, the snares of death. Worst of all is it to obtain wealth by oppression of the poor; one who does so shall as surely come to want as he who gives money to those who do not need it. {Pro 22:16} In fact, our book contains the striking thought that ill-earned wealth is never gathered for the benefit of the possessor, but only for the benefit of the righteous, and must be useless until it gets into hands which will use it benevolently. {Pro 13:22, Pro 28:8}
And while there are these serious drawbacks to material possessions, we are further called upon to notice that there is wealth of another kind, wealth consisting in moral or spiritual qualities, compared with which wealth, as it is usually understood, is quite paltry and unsatisfying. When the intrinsic defects of silver and gold have been frankly stated, this earthly treasure is set, as a whole, in comparison with another kind of treasure, and is observed to become pale and dim. Thus “riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death.” {Pro 11:4} Indeed it is only the blessing of the Lord which brings riches without drawbacks. {Pro 10:22} In the house of the righteous is much treasure. {Pro 15:6} Better is a little with righteousness than great treasure without right. {Pro 16:8} In the light of these moral considerations the relative positions of the rich and the poor are reversed; it is better to be an honest poor man than a perverse rich man; the little grain of integrity in the heart and life outweighs all the balance at the bank.
A little wisdom, a little sound understanding, or a little wholesome knowledge is more precious than wealth. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold. Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver. {Pro 16:16} There may be gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. {Pro 20:15}
Nay, there are some things apparently very filling which will so depreciate material wealth that if a choice is to be made it is well to let the wealth go and to purchase immunity from these trivial troubles. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. {Pro 15:16-17} Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith than a house full of feasting with strife. {Pro 17:1} Yes, the good will and affectionate regard of our fellow-men are on the whole far more valuable than a large revenue. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. Indeed, when the relations of the rich and the poor are brought up into Gods presence our whole conception of the matter is liable to change; we observe the rich and the poor meet together, and the Lord the maker of them all; {Pro 22:2} we observe that any slur cast on the poor or any oppression of them is practically a reproach against the Maker, {Pro 14:31, Pro 17:5} whilst any act of pity or tenderness to the needy is in effect a service rendered to God; and more and more we get to feel that notwithstanding the rich mans good opinion of himself he presents rather a sorry spectacle in the presence of the wise, even though the wise may be exceedingly poor.
Taking into account therefore the intrinsic insecurity of wealth, and the terrible flaws in the title which may result from questionable ways of obtaining it, and estimating at a right value the other things which are not usually reckoned as wealth, -goodness, piety, wisdom, knowledge, and love, -we can quite understand that enlightened men might be too busy in life to make money, too occupied with grave purposes and engrossed with noble objects of pursuit to admit the perturbations of mammon into their souls. Making all allowance for the unquestionable advantages of being rich, and the serious inconveniences of being poor, we may yet see reasons for not greatly desiring wealth, nor greatly dreading poverty.
III. But now we come to the positive counsels which our Teacher would give on the strength of these considerations about money and its acquisition. And first of all we are solemnly cautioned against the fever of money-getting, the passion to get rich, a passion which has the most demoralizing effect on its victims, and is indeed an indication of a more or less perverted character. The good man cannot be possessed by it, and if he could he would soon become bad.
These grave warnings of Wisdom are specially needed at the present time in England and America, when the undisguised and the unrestrained pursuit of riches has become more and more recognized as the legitimate end of life, so that few people feel any shame in admitting that this is their aim; and the clear unimpassioned statements of the result, which always follows on the unhallowed passion, receive daily confirmation from the occasional revelations of our domestic, our commercial, and our criminal life. He that is greedy of gain, we are told, troubleth his own house. {Pro 15:27} An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed. {Pro 20:21} A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he that maketh haste to be rich (and consequently cannot by any possibility be faithful) shall not be unpunished. {Pro 28:20} He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches, and knoweth not that want shall come upon him. {Pro 28:22} “Weary not thyself,” therefore, it is said, “to be rich”; which, though it may be the dictate of thine own wisdom, {Pro 23:4} is really unmixed folly, burdened with a load of calamity for the unfortunate seeker, for his house, and for all those who are in any way dependent upon him.
Again, while we are cautioned not to aim constantly at the increase of our possessions, we are counseled to exercise a generous liberality in the disposal of such things as are ours. Curiously enough, niggardliness in giving is associated with slothfulness in labor, while it is implied that the wish to help others is a constant motive for due diligence in the business of life. “There is that coveteth greedily all the day long, but the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.” {Pro 21:26} The law of nature, -the law of life, -is to give out and not merely to receive, and in fulfilling that law we receive unexpected blessings: “There is that scattereth and increaseth yet more, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth only to want. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” {Pro 11:24-25} “He that giveth to the poor shall not lack; but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.” {Pro 28:27} “He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and his good deed will He pay him again.” {Pro 19:17} “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.” {Pro 22:9}
Such a wholesome shunning of the thirst for wealth, and such a generous spirit in aiding others, naturally suggest to the wise man a daily prayer, a request that he may avoid the dangerous extremes, and walk in the happy mean of worldly possessions: “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me; lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal, and use profanely the name of my God.” {Pro 30:8-9} It is a request not easy to make with perfect sincerity; there are not many who, like Emersons grandfather, venture to pray that neither they nor their descendants may ever be rich; while there have been not a few who in a “show of wisdom in will-worship and humility and severity to the body” have sought for an unnecessary and an unwholesome poverty. But it is a wise request; it finds an echo in the prayer which our Lord taught His disciples, and constantly appears inwoven in the apostolic teaching. And if the individual is to desire such things for himself, he must naturally desire that such may be the lot of his fellow-creatures, and he must make it the aim of his efforts after social reform to indefinitely increase the number of those who occupy this happy middle position, and have neither riches nor poverty.
And now we have followed the lines of teaching contained in this book on the subject of wealth, and it is impossible to miss the wisdom, the moderation, the inspiration of such counsels. We cannot fail to see that if these principles were recognized universally, and very generally practiced; if they were ingrained in the constitution of our children, so as to become the instinctive motives and guides of action; the serious social troubles which arise from the unsatisfactory distribution of wealth would rapidly disappear. Happy would that society be in which all men were aiming, not at riches, but merely at a modest competency, dreading the one extreme as much as the other; in which the production of wealth was constantly moderated and controlled by the conviction that wealth gotten by vanity is as the snares of death; in which all who had become the owners of wealth were ready to give and glad to distribute, counting a wise benevolence, which in giving to the needy really lends to the Lord, the best investment in the world.
If these neglected principles are hitherto very faintly recognized, we must recollect that they have never been seriously preached. Although they were theoretically taught, and practically lived out, in the words and the life of Jesus Christ, they have never been fully incorporated into Christianity. The mediaeval Church fell into the perilous doctrines of the Ebionites, and glorified poverty in theory while in practice it became an engine of unparalleled rapacity. Protestantism has generally been too much occupied with the great principle of Justification by Faith to pay much attention to such a writing as the Epistle of St. James, which Luther described as “a letter of straw”; and thus, while we all believe that we are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, it seldom occurs to us that such a faith must include the most exact and literal obedience to His teachings. Christian men unblushingly serve Mammon, and yet hope that they are serving God too, because they believe on Him whom God sent-though He whom God sent expressly declared that the two services could not be combined. Christian men make it the effort of a lifetime to become rich, although Christ declared that it was easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven; and when they hear that Christ required an intending follower to sell all that he had and give to the poor, they explain it away, and maintain that He does not require such a sacrifice from them, but simply asks them to believe in the Atonement.
In this way Christians have made their religion incredible, and even ridiculous, to many of the most earnest spirits of our time. When Christ is made unto them Wisdom as well as Redemption, they will see that the principles of Wisdom which concern wealth are obligatory upon them, just because they profess to believe in Christ.
Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary

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