Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 16:26
He that laboreth laboreth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
26. He that laboureth laboureth for himself ] Rather, the desire, or appetite (lit. soul, see A.V. marg.) of him that laboureth, laboureth for him. The desire which craves satisfaction is the motive power, impelling to the labour by which it is satisfied.
Couched, after the true manner of a parable, in terms belonging to the lowest sphere of animal appetite (“his mouth, or bodily hunger, craveth it of him”), the proverb extends to the highest aspirations and noblest efforts of the affections, the intellect and the soul. Comp. Joh 6:27, and Ecc 6:7 (where the Heb. words for “labour” and “desire” or “appetite” are the same as here): “All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not filled.”
Pro 16:27-29 . A group of three proverbs: “A worthless man”; “A froward man”; “A man of violence.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He that laboreth – literally, as in the margin, i. e., The desire of the laborer labors for him (or, helps him in his work), for his mouth urges him on. Hunger of some kind is the spring of all hearty labor. Without that the man would sit down and take his ease. So also, unless there is a hunger in the soul, craving to be fed, there can be no true labor after righteousness and wisdom (compare Mat 5:6).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. He that laboureth] No thanks to a man for his labour and industry; if he do not work he must starve.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For himself; for his own use and benefit. The scope of the proverb is to commend and press diligence in a mans calling, and to condemn idleness.
Craveth it of him, Heb. boweth to him, as a suppliant; beggeth him to labour, that it may have something to put into it for its own comfort, and for the nourishment of the whole body.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. Diligence is a duty due toone’s self, for his wants require labor.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He that laboureth, laboureth for himself,…. Man is born for labour; it is a part of the curse inflicted on him for sin; and his condition and circumstances are such as make it necessary, for such who will not work ought not to eat; and it is labouring for food and raiment which is here meant, and that is for a man’s self; for if he labours to be rich and lay up money, and purchase estates, these are more for others than himself, and indeed he knows not for whom he labours. It is indeed in the original, “the soul of him that labours l, labours for himself”; and it may be understood of the labour of, the soul for spiritual things, for spiritual food, for that meat which endures to everlasting life; and may intend the various exercises of religion in which men employ themselves, that they may have food for their souls, and grow thereby; such as praying, reading the Scriptures, attending on the ministry of the word and ordinances: and this labouring is for themselves; for the good and welfare of their immortal souls, for their spiritual prosperity, for the nourishing of them up unto everlasting life. It may be applied to Gospel ministers, who labour in the Lord’s vineyard, in the word and doctrine; and though in the first place they labour to promote the glory of God and the interest of Christ, and the good of souls, yet it also turns to their own account; and indeed they labour to be accepted of the Lord, and at last shall hear, “Well done, good and faithful Servant; enter into the joy of thy Lord”, Mt 25:23. Some render the words, “he that is troublesome is troublesome to himself” m, as such an one is, not only to others, but to himself also; he is the cause of great disquietude to his own mind;
for his mouth craveth it of him: that he should labour, in order to satisfy his appetite; for “all the labour of man is for his mouth”, to feed that and fill his belly, Ec 6:7; or “his mouth boweth unto him” n; it is as it were an humble supplicant to him, entreating: him to labour to get food for it, and satisfy its wants; or as a beast bows down to feed itself; or “boweth upon him” o; it obliges him, as the Vulgate Latin version; it compels him, whether he will or not, to work, its necessities are so pressing: and this holds good in spiritual things; a man’s mouth, or spiritual appetite, puts him upon the use of means of spiritual exercises, without which he must otherwise be in a starving condition; and is true of the ministers of the word, whose mouth obliges them; as it were; they cannot but speak the things they have heard and seen: or “his mouth reflects upon him”; upon the man that has been troublesome to himself and others; the Targum is,
“for from his mouth humiliation shall come to him;”
or his destruction, as the Syriac version.
l “anima laborantis”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis; “anima laboriosi”, Cocceius. m “Ipse molestus molestiam affert sibi”, Junius Tremellius. n “incurvavit se ei os suum”, Pagninus “incurvat se ei os suum”; Mercerus, Gejerus. o “Inflexit se super eum os suum”, Montanus; “innititur super cum”, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
26 The hunger of the labourer laboureth for him,
For he is urged on by his mouth.
The Syr. translates: the soul of him who inflicts woe itself suffers it, and from his mouth destruction comes to him; the Targ. brings this translation nearer the original text ( , humiliation, instead of , destruction); Luther translates thus also, violently abbreviating, however. But (from , Arab. ‘amila , to exert oneself, laborare ) means, like laboriosus , labouring as well as enduring difficulty, but not, as , causing difficulty, or (Euchel) occupied with difficulty. And labour and the mouth stand together, denoting that man labours that the mouth may have somewhat to eat (cf. 2Th 3:10; , however, gains in this connection the meaning of , and that of desire after nourishment, vid., at Pro 6:30; Pro 10:3). also joins itself to this circle of ideas, for it means to urge (Jerome, compulit ), properly (related to , incurvare , , to constrain, necessitate ), to bow down by means of a burden. The Aramaeo-Arab. signification, to saddle (Schultens: clitellas imposuit ei os suum ), is a secondary denom. ( vid., at Job 33:7). The Venet. well renders it after Kimchi: . Thus: the need of nourishment on the part of the labourer works for him ( dat. commodi like Isa 40:20), i.e., helps him to labour, for (not: if, , as Rashi and others) it presses upon him; his mouth, which will have something to eat, urges him. It is God who has in this way connected together working and eating. The curse in sudore vultus tui comedes panem conceals a blessing. The proverb has in view this reverse side of the blessing in the arrangement of God.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
This is designed to engage us to diligence, and quicken us, what our hand finds to do, to do it with all our might, both in our worldly business and in the work of religion; for in the original it is, The soul that labours labours for itself. It is heart-work which is here intended, the labour of the soul, which is here recommended to us, 1. As that which will be absolutely needful. Our mouth is continually craving it of us; the necessities both of soul and body are pressing, and require constant relief, so that we must either work or starve. Both call for daily bread, and therefore there must be daily labour; for in the sweat of our face we must eat, 2 Thess. iii. 10. 2. As that which will be unspeakably gainful. We know on whose errand we go: He that labours shall reap the fruit of his labour; it shall be for himself; he shall rejoice in his own work and eat the labour of his hands. If we make religion our business, God will make it our blessedness.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Hunger Prompts Labor
Verse 26 (RV) explains that the appetite of a laboring man prompts him to labor. This is in accord with Ecc 6:7; Gen 3:19; 2Th 3:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 16:26. He that laboureth, laboureth for himself, etc. Zckler translates The spirit of the labourer laboureth for him, for his mouth urgeth him on. StuartThe appetite of him who toils is toilsome to him (i.e., make him exert himself) for his mouth urgeth him on. DelitzschThe hunger of the labourer laboureth for him, etc. MillerThe labouring soul labours for it, for its mouth imposeth it upon him. (See his comment.)
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 16:26
THE MAINSPRING OF HUMAN INDUSTRY
I. God intends every man to be a labourer. Adam in Paradise was required to dress and keep the Garden of Eden, so that the labourers patent of nobility dates from before the fall. The Son of God, in human flesh, laboured with His own hands for the supply of His daily wants, and thus for ever sanctified the ordinary toil of life. (On the profitableness of labour, see on chap. Pro. 14:23.)
II. God has taken means to ensure the continuance of labour. He has so created man that if the majority do not labour neither can they eat, nor can those eat who do not labour. There must be always a large proportion of workers in the great hive of human creatures, or both they and the drones would starve. It is hunger that keeps the world in motion, and it is the craving of mans mouth that builds our cities and our ships, that stimulates invention, and sends men abroad in quest of fresh fields of industry. It is this necessity to eat that keeps all the members of the human family in a state of ceaseless activity, and prevents them from sinking into a state of mental stagnation and bodily disease. It is a noteworthy fact that those nations who have to work hard to supply their physical wants are more intellectually and spiritually healthy than those who live in lands where the needs of life are satisfied with little labour. God has promised that while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest shall not cease (Gen. 8:22); but He has also, by the constitution of man, ordained that he must be unceasingly active if he is to reap the fruits of the earthif, indeed, he is to continue to exist upon the face of the earth; and He has so ordained because of the many blessings which flow from this necessity.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Since that which causes us to labour and trouble becomes a means of our subsistence, it in turn helps us to overcome labour and trouble, for this very thing, by virtue of Gods wise regulating providence, becomes for us a spur to industry.Von, Gerlach.
A mans industry in his calling is no sure sign of virtue, for although it is a duty commanded by God, and necessary to be practised, yet profit and necessity may constrain a man to labour, who has no regard either to God or man. But this proves that idleness is a most inexcusable sin. It is not only condemned in the Scripture, but it is a sign that a man wants common reason as well as piety, when he can neither be drawn by interest, nor driven by necessity, to work. Self-love is a damning sin where it reigns as the chief principle of action; but the want of self-love where it is required is no less criminal.Lawson.
To labour is mans punishment, and that man laboureth for himself is Gods mercy. For as it is painful to labour, so it is made more painful when another reapeth the fruit thereof; but when ourselves are comforted with the fruit thereof, the labour is much eased in the gathering of it. God himself does not look for any benefit from our labour, it is all for ourselves, whatever we do. And therefore as God doth command labour, so the mouth of our benefit doth call for it.Jermin.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(26) He that laboureth laboureth for himself.Rather, the desire, or hunger, of the labourer laboureth for him, for his mouth urges him on; the feeling that he is supplying his own needs gives him strength for his work.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Laboureth for himself It is probable that the point and meaning of this proverb may be expressed thus: “The appetite of the labourer labours for him.” A good appetite spurs a man to work. He labours for the satisfying of his appetite, or the gratification of his desires. Stuart takes it differently, and renders: “The appetite of him that toils is toilsome to him, for his mouth urgeth him on,” and gives as the sentiment: A strong appetite is urgent and troublesome. Zockler reads: “The spirit of the labourer labours for him.” Comp. Ecc 6:7.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Hard-Working Person, The Worthless Man, the Perverse Man And The Man Of Violence ( Pro 16:26-29 ).
This subsection is based on the idea of ‘a man’ (ish) which is repeated in each proverb apart from the first, and connects back to the use of ‘a man’ in Pro 16:25. In each case the ish is a worldly, godless man. In contrast we have the ‘person’ (nephesh) of the hardworking, righteous man. So the ‘person (nephesh) of the hard worker’ is contrasted with the ‘man of worthlessness’ (Pro 6:12), the ‘man of perverseness’ (Pro 2:12; Pro 2:14; Pro 6:14) and the ‘man of violence’ (Pro 3:31; compare Pro 1:10-19), the contrast possibly bringing out a similar contrast to that of spirit and flesh in the New Testament. The spiritual man (nephesh) contrasts with the fleshly men (ish).
The ‘person’ of the hard-worker, who satisfies his own cravings by hard work, and is self-contained, especially parallels and contrasts strongly with the ‘man’ of violence who, because he does not want to work hard, chooses easier ways of satisfying his cravings by highway robbery, and draws others into it (Pro 1:10-19).
Notice how all are involved in words. The hardworker’s mouth urges him to work harder. In stark contrast the worthless man’s lips are like a scorching fire, the perverse man’s lips produce strife and division, and the violent man entices men into his own ways. There is a further interesting contrast in that the hardworking person ‘labours’, the worthless man ‘digs (usually a pit or a well)’, the perverse man ‘sows’, all verbs indicating hard work, whilst the violent man ‘entices’. Not for him the stigma of labour.
The subsection is presented chiastically as follows:
A The person (‘appetite’) of the hardworking man labours for him, for his mouth urges him to it (Pro 16:26).
B A worthless man devises (digs up) mischief, and in his lips there is as a scorching fire (Pro 16:27).
B A perverse man scatters abroad (sows) strife, and a whisperer (or ‘talebearer’) separates chief friends (Pro 16:28).
A A man of violence entices his neighbour, and leads him in a way that is not good (Pro 16:29).
In A we have the person who works hard for himself and satisfies his own appetites, whilst in the contrasting parallel we have the violent and enticing man (Pro 1:10-19), who shuns hard work, and takes the easy way out, drawing others into his schemes. Centrally in B we have the worthless man whose lips are a scorching fire, who compares with the perverse man whose lips sow discord.
Pro 16:26
‘The person (or ‘appetite’) of the hardworking man labours for him,
For his mouth urges him to it.’
There is probably a double significance to the use of nephesh (person, appetite) here. In the first place it contrasts with ish and indicates the worthy man, even the spiritual man, for the nephesh was what God breathed into man in Gen 2:7, making him distinct from the animals, and therefore in the image of God (Gen 1:27). This ties in with the nearby reference to the nephesh in Pro 16:24 where pleasant words are sweet to the inward man (nephesh). See also Pro 16:17.
In the second place it can signify ‘appetite’ and therefore as paralleling the mouth which urges him to work hard so that it can be satisfied. He is thus both spiritual and yet very much down to earth. But it would be degrading its use here to make the second the dominant thought, and would lose the deliberate contrast between nephesh and ish. Indeed the mouth here can rather be seen as contrasted with the lips in Pro 16:27 in which is a scorching fire; with the whisperer/talebearer in Pro 16:28; and with the enticing words of the violent man in Pro 16:29. In contrast to these the mouth of the hardworking man urges him to hard work.
In Proverbs the hardworking man, in contrast to the sluggard (Pro 6:6), is seen as the righteous man, the wise man, the man whom wisdom rewards with wealth and status (Pro 10:4-5; Pro 12:24). As here, he contrasts will all other men, with the man who wrongly thinks that his way is right (Pro 16:25), and with the worthless, the perverse, the talebearer and the violent (Pro 16:27-29).
Pro 16:27
‘A worthless man devises mischief,
And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.’
The worthless man (compare Pro 6:12) is also hardworking. He ‘digs up’ mischief. He constantly schemes and plans evil. But his lips, rather than encouraging him to hard work (Pro 16:26), are used to scorch others. Metaphorically he gives them multiple burns. As we learn in Pro 6:12-19 he has a perverse (crooked) mouth, he perjures himself and he sows discord among brothers.
Pro 16:28
‘A perverse man scatters abroad strife,
And a whisperer separates chief friends.’
The perverse man (Pro 2:12; Pro 2:14-15; Pro 6:14), the one who is at loggerheads with wisdom, is also busy. He also sows, but he ‘sows’ strife, scattering it to all sides and causing division and disharmony. With his whispered lies and distorted tales he even separates close friends. No one is more dangerous than the whisperer.
Pro 16:29
‘A man of violence entices his neighbour,
And leads him in a way that is not good.’
The last of the false trio, all taken from the Prologue, is the man of forceful character (violent character. Compare Pro 10:6). He is not to be envied, and his ways are not to be chosen (Pro 3:31). He entices his neighbour into ways that are not good. He is well illustrated in Pro 1:10-19. He draws him into the way which is right in his own eyes, but which ends in death (Pro 16:25).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
v. 26. He that laboreth, laboreth for himself,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 16:26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
Ver. 26. He that laboureth, laboureth for himself. ] He earns it to eat it, he gets it with his hands to maintain “the life of his hands,” as it is therefore also called Isa 57:10 Animantis cuiusque vita in fuga est, saith the philosopher; Life will away if not repaired by aliment. Et dii boni; quantum hominum unus exereet venter! a Oh what ado there is to provide meat for the belly! There are those who make too much ado, while they make it “their god,” Php 3:19 as did that Pamphagus, Nabal; those in St Paul’s time, that “served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies”; and our Abbey lubbers, Quorum luxuriae totus non sufficit orbis; O monachi, vestri stomachi, &c. See my Common Place of Abstinence.
For his mouth craveth it of him.
a Seneca.
b Quippe quem suum cogit os. – Castalio.
c Sueton. in Tiber.
He that laboureth = the soul of him who laboureth. Hebrew. nephesh.
mouth = appetite.
craveth it of him = urgeth him on.
Pro 16:26-27
Pro 16:26-27
“The appetite of the laboring man laboreth for him;
For his mouth urgeth him thereto.
A worthless man deviseth mischief;
And in his lips there is a scorching fire.”
“His mouth urgeth him thereto” (Pro 16:26). The need to earn a living inspires men to work.
“An ungodly man diggeth up evil; and in his lips there is a burning fire. “The description of agitators in this through Pro 16:30 needs little comment. In this verse, the mischief maker is a gossip. The burning fire in his words is designed to burn up the reputations of other people.
Pro 16:26. A laboring man has an appetite. He needs food for strength and for health. He goes on food just as an engine does on duel and a fire on wood. But when people dont work, their food goes to fat, which hinders health. We are told by health authorities to eat more for breakfast and less at night so that we burn up what we eat with work during the day rather than let it go to fat while we sleep at night.
Pro 16:27. Somebody is the originator or deviser (cause) of everything that comes to pass. Prompted and empowered by the devil, such a wicked deviser is here said to be worthless, and he is as worthless and as destructive with his lips as a fire can be to property (Jas 3:6). Both a fire and the lips have many useful purposes (fire: heat, cooking, industrial purposes, etc.; the lips: conversation, business, singing, preaching, prayer, etc.); but a person who turns these to wicked, mischievous ends is worthless both to God and society. We can get along without them, and God will separate them from himself and from the saved forever.
He: Heb. The soul of him
laboureth: Pro 9:12, Pro 14:23, Ecc 6:7, 1Th 4:11, 1Th 4:12, 2Th 3:8-12
craveth it of him: Heb. boweth unto him
Reciprocal: Ecc 2:22 – hath man
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge