Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 10:16
The labor of the righteous [tendeth] to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
16. fruit ] or, increase, R.V. It has been thought that a contrast is here drawn between the actual “labour” of the righteous which, however toilsome in itself, has its issue in life, and the “increase,” the fruit of labour, of the wicked, which is sin. Comp. Pro 10:2 above. But “labour” may mean “the fruit of labour”, or “increase”, which for the righteous tends to what truly may be called “life.” The same Heb. word is rendered “wages,” Lev 19:13, and “reward,” Psa 109:20.
sin ] which involves death, the opposite of “life” in the first clause of the parallelism.
The Speaker’s Comm. suggests that this maxim is intended to guard against a misunderstanding of Pro 10:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A warning against the conclusion to seek wealth first of all, which men of lower natures might draw from Pro 10:15.
Quaerenda pecunia primum est;
Virtus post nummos?
Horace, Ep. 1. i. 53.
Such an inference is met by the experience, that while wealth gotten by honest industry is not only, like inherited riches a defense, but also a blessing, the seeming profit (rather than fruit) of the wicked tends to further sin 1Ti 6:10, and so to punishment. Compare Rom 6:21.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. The labour of the righteous] The good man labours that he may be able to support life; this is his first object: and then to have something to divide with the poor; this is his next object.
The fruit of the wicked to sin.] This man lives to eat and drink, and his property he spends in riot and excess. God’s blessings are cursed to him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: either,
1. The design of his labour is only this, that he may have wherewith to live honestly, without sinful shifts. Or,
2. The fruit or effect of his labour or industry (as this word labour is most commonly understood, and this best answers to the following clause, where fruit is put instead of this labour) is the preservation and prolongation of this life, and the obtaining of eternal life, to which an honest and conscientious diligence in mens worldly callings doth in some manner contribute. The fruit of the wicked, the fruit of all their labours and endeavours, to sin; tendeth to sin, serves only for fuel to mens pride, and luxury, and worldliness, and by that means oft causeth temporal, and always, without repentance, eternal death.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. The industry of therighteous is alone truly successful, while the earnings of the wickedtempt and lead to sin.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The labour of the righteous [tendeth] to life,…. To natural life, and the support of it; all that he labours for is to get a livelihood for himself and family; that is all he desires, nor does he seek great things for himself: or to spiritual life; so his spiritual exercises in praying, reading, and hearing the word, and waiting upon ordinances, have a tendency to promote and maintain a spiritual life in him: or to eternal life; not that the works of a righteous man (so the Targum, Septuagint, and Arabic versions, render it in the plural number) are meritorious of eternal life; for life and righteousness are not to be had by the works of men, but by the grace of God; yet, as the righteous man labours for the meat which endures to everlasting life, given by the Son of God, his labour may be said to tend to life eternal, Joh 6:27;
the fruit of the wicked to sin; whatever he enjoys, whether got by labour; though the word seems purposely omitted, as some observe, to signify that is not intended; or whether left him as an inheritance; or whatever way acquired, lawfully or unlawfully; all his revenues and riches, the increase of his substance and fields, are all used to sinful purposes, to pride, luxury, and wantonness; and so tend to death, even death eternal, the just wages of sin.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Regarding gain:
The gain of the righteous tendeth to life;
The income of the godless to sin.
Intentionally, that which the righteous received is called (as Lev 19:13), as a reward of his labour; that which the godless receives is called , as income which does not need to be the reward of labour, and especially of his own immediate labour. And with , runs parallel, from the supposition that sin carries the germ of death in itself. The reward of his labour serves to the righteous to establish his life, i.e., to make sure his life-position, and to elevate his life-happiness. On the contrary, the income of the godless serves only to ruin his life; for, made thereby full and confident, he adds sin to sin, whose wages is death. Hitzig translates: for expiation, i.e., to lose it again as atonement for past sins; but if and are contrasted with each other, then is death-bringing sin (Pro 8:35.).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
Solomon here confirms what his father had said (Ps. xxxvii. 16), A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. 1. Perhaps a righteous man has no more than what he works hard for; he eats only the labour of his hands, but that labour tends to life; he aims at nothing but to get an honest livelihood, covets not to be rich and great, but is willing to live and maintain his family. Nor does it tend only to his own life, but he would enable himself to do good to others; he labours that he may have to give (Eph. iv. 28); all his business turns to some good account or other. Or it may be meant of his labour in religion; he takes most pains in that which has a tendency to eternal life; he sows to the Spirit, that he may reap life everlasting. 2. Perhaps a wicked man’s wealth is fruit which he did not labour for, but came easily by, but it tends to sin. He makes it the food and fuel of his lusts, his pride and luxury; he gets hurt with it and not good; he gets hurt by it and is hardened by it in his wicked ways. The things of this world are good or evil, life or death, as they are used, and as those are that have them.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Life and Influence
(Pro 10:16-17)
Verse 16 teaches that character, not poverty or wealth, governs the quality of one’s life. The righteous use their assets to promote spiritual life. The wicked use their fruit or increase to indulge more and more in sin, Pro 8:35-36; Pro 9:6; Pro 19:23; Pro 14:34.
Verse 17 contrasts the blessings of those in the way of life who hold fast to instruction with the stubbornness of those who refuse reproof, erring themselves and also causing others to err, Pro 1:8-9; Pro 4:1; Pro 4:10; Pro 4:13; Pro 4:20-22; Pro 1:23-28; Mat 23:13; Luk 11:52.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(16) The labour of the righteous tendeth to life.For the gains of his honest toil have the blessing of God upon them, and so bring him satisfaction of mind and the power of performing his duties in life; whereas all that the wicked man acquires only helps him to sin yet more, by enabling him to indulge his evil passions.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Fruit Income, increase, earnings, (tendeth) to sin, and “sin bringeth forth death,” in antithesis to the life of the first clause. This is a good illustration of the fact that the antithesis in these proverbs is often implied or intimated, and is to be inferred from what is said. Rueetschi well observes: “It is, in general, a peculiar charm of many proverbs that the parallelism is not perfectly clear; but it remains the function of the reader to seek out the intermediate thoughts and to make the deductions.” On latter clause compare 1Ti 6:10.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 16. The labor of the righteous tendeth to life,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: 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 the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. The fear of the LORD prolongeth 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 bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.
I detain not the Reader through these verses. They are all very plain to the understanding of one taught of God. The way of life is Jesus, for he saith himself that he is the way, and the truth, and the life. Joh 14:6 ; and he that is in this way, is in Jesus. And Jesus points out an infallible method by which all such are known. He keepeth instruction, Solomon saith. And Jesus saith if a man love me, , he will keep my words. And the greatest of all blessings is annexed to this. Pray, Reader, turn to that sweet scripture, and read it, until that the very life of the passage is engraven upon your heart, Joh 14:23 and you will find, by comparing scripture with scripture, similar illustrations; and of consequence, how the Proverbs of Solomon are to be read and explained.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 10:16 The labour of the righteous [tendeth] to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
Ver. 16. The labour of the righteous, &c. ] If the righteous man may but sweat out a poor living, get enough to bear his charges home to heaven, have enough to serve his turn here, be it but “food and raiment, he is content.” 1Ti 6:8 Cibus et potus sunt divitiae Christianorum. The true Christian desires but meat and drink.
The fruit of the wicked.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
fruit = produce.
the wicked = a lawless one.
sin. Hebrew. chata App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 10:16
Pro 10:16
“The labor of the righteous tendeth to life; The increase of the wicked to sin.”
“The reward for doing good is life, but sin leads only to more sin.
Pro 10:16. The labor of the righteous is good for him: he enjoys his food, he sleeps well, he is healthy, and his mind is not troubled. Ecc 5:12 says, The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. The increase of the wicked is not good for him, for it but leads to sin. Luxury and licentious living often go together. Kings as a group (the wealthies in the land) were usually not godly. Ecc 10:17 says, Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
labour: Pro 11:30, Isa 3:10, Isa 3:11, Joh 6:27, 1Co 15:58, Gal 6:7-9, Heb 6:10
the fruit: Mat 7:17, Mat 7:18, Mat 12:33, Mat 12:34, Mat 15:19, Rom 6:23, 2Ti 2:17, 2Ti 2:18, 2Ti 3:13
Reciprocal: Pro 11:19 – righteousness Pro 12:28 – General Phi 2:12 – work
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 10:16. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life The design of his labour is only this, that he may have wherewith to live honestly, without making use of any sinful shifts. Or rather, the fruit or effect of his labour and industry is the preservation of this life, and the obtaining of eternal life, to which an honest and conscientious diligence in a mans calling greatly contributes. The fruit of the wicked The fruit of all their labours and endeavours; to sin Tendeth to sin, serves only for fuel to feed their pride, luxury, and worldly-mindedness, and by that means often causes, or, at least, hastens temporal death, and always, without repentance, issues in eternal death.