1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together; Jehovah is the maker of them all.
3 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.
6 Train up the child according to the tenor of his way, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor; and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.
15 Folly is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.
19 That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
23 for Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil the soul of those that despoil them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
25 lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
27 if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.
29 Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 22
Commentary on Proverbs 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Pr 22:1-29.
1. A good name—(Job 30:8, Hebrew); "good" is supplied here from Ec 7:1.
loving favour—kind regard, that is, of the wise and good.
2. Before God all are on the same footing (Pr 14:31; 17:5).
3. are punished—that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.
4. humility and the fear of the Lord—are in apposition; one produces the other. On the results, compare Pr 3:16; 8:18.
5. he that … them—Those who properly watch over their own souls are thus preserved from the dangers which attend the way of perverse men (Pr 16:17).
6. Train—initiate, or early instruct.
the way—literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.
7. The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pr 19:6; 21:14, &c.).
8. (Compare Pr 11:18; Ps 109:16-20; Ga 6:7, 8).
the rod … fail—His power to do evil will be destroyed.
9. a bountiful eye—that is, a beneficent disposition.
for he giveth … poor—His acts prove it.
10. Cast out—or drive away. Scorners foster strife by taunts and revilings.
11. (Compare Margin).
pureness of heart—and gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.
12. preserve—or guard.
knowledge—its principles and possessors.
overthroweth—utterly confounds and destroys the wicked.
13. Frivolous excuses satisfy the indolent man's conscience.
14. The mouth—or flattering speeches (Pr 5:3; 7:5) ensnare man, as pits, beasts. God makes their own sin their punishment.
15. is bound—or firmly fixed. Chastisement deters from crime and so leads to reformation of principle.
16. These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.
17. Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pr 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).
18. These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and
fitted—or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.
19. That … Lord—This is the design of the instruction.
20. excellent things—or probably of former times.
counsels and knowledge—both advice and instruction.
21. Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.
22, 23. Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pr 17:5; Ps 12:5).
in the gate—place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Ps 69:12).
24, 25. (Compare Pr 2:12-15; 4:14).
25. a snare … soul—The unsuspecting are often misled by bad company.
26, 27. (Compare Pr 6:1; 17:18).
27. should he take, &c.—that is, the creditor.
28. (Compare Pr 23:10). Do not entrench on others (De 19:14; 27:17).
29. Success rewards diligence (Pr 10:4; 21:5).