Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 10:14
Wise [men] lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish [is] near destruction.
14. near destruction ] Rather, is a near, or imminent (R.V. a present) destruction: “it is like a house ready to fall at any moment.” The antithesis is between wise men who treasure their wisdom to be used as occasion serves, and a fool who blurts out his folly, and may at any moment bring upon himself and others its disastrous consequences. Comp. Pro 12:23.
The A.V. follows LXX., ; and Vulg., confusioni proximum est.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lay up – The point of the maxim is that the wise man reserves what he has to say for the right time, place, and persons (compare Mat 7:6), as contrasted with the foolish, ever giving immediate utterance to what destroys himself and others.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 10:14
Wise men lay up knowledge.
Experience kept for use
Another brief definition of wisdom. Many get knowledge, and let it go as fast as they get it. They put their winnings into a bag with holes. The part of wisdom is to treasure up experience, and hold it ready for use in the time and place of need. Everything may be turned to account. Even losses may be converted into gains. Let nothing trickle out and flow away useless. None of the wisdom comes for nothing, either to old or young. Our Father in heaven gives us the best kind; and the best kind is that which is bought. The saddest thing is when people are always paying, and never possessing. The cleverest people are in many cases the least successful. A man of moderate gifts, but steadfast acquisitiveness, lays up more than a man of the brightest genius, whether the treasure sought be earthly substance or heavenly wisdom. Men, looking on the outward appearance, make great mistakes in judging of men. Those who give out little noise may have laid up much wisdom. (W. Arnot, D. D.)
Wise men lay up knowledge
In Eastern countries men lay up garments, and pride themselves in the number of their suits of apparel. In our land men lay up money. But this is not wisdom. In Egypt Joseph laid up corn for the day of famine; and in Syria men lay up water for the summer in cisterns under their houses. This is wisdom; but still it is not the wisdom of which Solomon speaks. The astronomer lays up the knowledge of the stars; and the botanist lays up the knowledge of plants and flowers. This is wisdom, but it is not that of which the text speaks. The knowledge that is best for us is the knowledge of God Himself; and though the knowledge of His works is good, the knowledge of Himself is far better. It is only this knowledge that can make you happy, or bring blessing to your soul. A poor woman, that could not read a word, once said to me, You see Im no scholar; but Im Christs scholar, and that will do. Yes, it was enough; for it made her wise unto salvation. She was one of the wise women that lay up knowledge. This is the knowledge which you must have; you will find it in the Bible; and the Holy Spirit is most willing to become your teacher. (Christian Treasury.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. Wise men lay up knowledge] They keep secret every thing that has a tendency to disturb domestic or public peace; but the foolish man blabs all out, and produces much mischief. Think much, speak little, and always think before you speak. This will promote your own peace and that of your neighbour.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Wise men lay up, to wit, in their minds and memories, to be brought forth thence upon fit occasions,
knowledge; whereby they may be enabled to speak both what and when it is seasonable, for their own or others good.
The mouth of the foolish is near destruction; fools are more forward to lay out than to lay up, and for want of knowledge speak much and foolishly, whereby they frequently bring destruction upon themselves
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. lay up knowledgethat is,as treasures for good use.
mouth . . . destructionor,”as to the mouth,” c., destruction is near they exposethemselves to evil by prating.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Wise [men] lay up knowledge,…. Which they get by reading, prayer, meditation, hearing the word of God, and conversation with good men: this they lay up in their hearts, minds, and memories, that they may not forget it, and as a rich treasure they highly value it; that they may bring it forth at proper times, and on proper occasions, for the benefit of others; see Mt 12:35; or hide f it; conceal it; do not boast and brag of it, as foolish men do;
but the mouth of the foolish [is] near destruction: who rashly and unguardedly utters things which bring swift and sudden destruction on himself and others; or terror and consternation, as the word g also signifies. The Vulgate Latin version is, “but the mouth of the foolish is near to confusion”; he boasts of his knowledge, betrays his ignorance, and so brings himself to shame and confusion.
f “abscondent”, Pagninus, Montanus; “abscondunt”, V. L. “occultant”, Michaelis. g “terrorem accersit”, Tigurine version; “consternatio propinqua”, Cocceius; “terror”, Vatablus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14 Wise men store up knowledge;
But the mouth of the fool is threatening destruction.
Ewald, Bertheau, Hitzig, Oetinger: “The mouth of the fool blunders out, and is as the sudden falling in of a house which one cannot escape from.” But since is a favourite Mishle -word to denote the effect and issue of that which is dangerous and destructive, so the sense is perhaps further to be extended: the mouth of the fool is for himself (Pro 13:3) and others a near, i.e., an always threatening and unexpectedly occurring calamity; unexpectedly, because suddenly he blunders out with his inconsiderate shame-bringing talk, so that such a fool’s mouth is to every one a praesens periculum . As to , it is worthy of remark that in the Beduin, Arab. dfn , fut. i, signifies to be still, to be thoughtful, to be absorbed in oneself ( vid., Wetstein on Job, p. 281). According to Codd. and editions, in this correct, is to be written instead of uwpiy; vid., Baer’s Torath Emeth, p. 40.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
Observe, 1. It is the wisdom of the wise that they treasure up a stock of useful knowledge, which will be their preservation: Wisdom is therefore found in their lips (v. 13), because it is laid up in their hearts, out of which store, like the good householder, they bring things new and old. Whatever knowledge may be at any time useful to us we must lay it up, because we know not but some time or other we may have occasion for it. We must continue laying up as long as we live; and be sure to lay it up safely, that it may not be to seek when we want it. 2. It is the folly of fools that they lay up mischief in their hearts, which is ready to them in all they say, and works terror and destruction both to others and to themselves. They love devouring words (Ps. lii. 4), and these come uppermost. Their mouth is near destruction, having the sharp arrows of bitter words always at hand to throw about.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(14) The mouth of the foolish is near destructioni.e., is a near, ever-threatening calamity; one never knows what awkward or dangerous thing he will not say next: whereas wise men store up knowledge, and bring it forth as it is wanted (Mat. 13:52).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Lay up Treasures up, in the memory, useful knowledge. Compare Pro 10:8. Is near destruction Destruction is near by, imminent. The sense is, that knowledge treasured up by the wise preserves from calamity; but folly, which is pre-eminently shown by the mouth, plunges one speedily into it. Miller carries forward the verb, lay up, and renders the last clause, “but the mouth of the fool (stores up) early rain.” On first clause compare Mat 12:35; Mat 13:52; Psa 119:11.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 14. Wise men lay up knowledge,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 10:14. Wise men lay up knowledge That is, says Schultens, wise men keep secretly reposed within them the knowledge of any business or affairs wherewith they are entrusted: but the mouth of the foolish, incapable of retaining any secret, occasions ruin to himself and to those who have any concerns with him. Others think the meaning is, that wise men do not hastily and ostentatiously discover all they know. But the foolish, full of precipitation and temerity in their discourse, expose themselves and others to all the dangers of a prattling tongue. We ought to think more than we speak: nature has given us two eyes and two ears, and only one tongue; Nam nunquam tacuisse nocet, nocet esse locutum. See Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 10:14 Wise [men] lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish [is] near destruction.
Ver. 14. Wise men lay up knowledge. ] To know when to speak, and when to be silent. It is a great skill to be able “to time a word,” Isa 50:4 to set it upon the wheels. Pro 25:11 “How forcible are right words!” Job 6:25
But the mouth of the foolish.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 10:14
Pro 10:14
“Wise men lay up knowledge; But the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.”
“Sensible men are reticent, but a fool’s babbling will bring trouble down.
Pro 10:14. A wise man does more listening (taking in, laying up) than he does talking; the fool, just the opposite. See Pro 18:7; Pro 21:23. Christians are taught to be swift to hear but slow to speak (Jas 1:19).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
lay: Pro 1:5, Pro 9:9, Pro 18:1, Pro 18:15, Pro 19:8, Mat 12:35, Mat 13:44, Mat 13:52, 2Co 4:6, 2Co 4:7
the mouth: Pro 10:8, Pro 10:10, Pro 13:3, Pro 18:7, Pro 21:23
Reciprocal: 1Ki 12:10 – My little finger 2Ch 10:10 – My little finger Pro 7:1 – lay Pro 17:20 – and he Ecc 10:12 – but