1 Wine H3196 is a mocker, H3887 strong drink H7941 is raging: H1993 and whosoever is deceived H7686 thereby is not wise. H2449
2 The fear H367 of a king H4428 is as the roaring H5099 of a lion: H3715 whoso provoketh him to anger H5674 sinneth H2398 against his own soul. H5315
3 It is an honour H3519 for a man H376 to cease H7674 from strife: H7379 but every fool H191 will be meddling. H1566
4 The sluggard H6102 will not plow H2790 by reason of the cold; H2779 therefore shall he beg H7592 H7592 in harvest, H7105 and have nothing.
5 Counsel H6098 in the heart H3820 of man H376 is like deep H6013 water; H4325 but a man H376 of understanding H8394 will draw it out. H1802
6 Most H7230 men H120 will proclaim H7121 every one H376 his own goodness: H2617 but a faithful H529 man H376 who can find? H4672
7 The just H6662 man walketh H1980 in his integrity: H8537 his children H1121 are blessed H835 after H310 him.
8 A king H4428 that sitteth in H3427 the throne H3678 of judgment H1779 scattereth away H2219 all evil H7451 with his eyes. H5869
9 Who can say, H559 I have made my heart H3820 clean, H2135 I am pure H2891 from my sin? H2403
10 Divers weights, H68 H68 and divers measures, H374 H374 both H8147 of them are alike H1571 abomination H8441 to the LORD. H3068
11 Even a child H5288 is known H5234 by his doings, H4611 whether his work H6467 be pure, H2134 and whether it be right. H3477
12 The hearing H8085 ear, H241 and the seeing H7200 eye, H5869 the LORD H3068 hath made H6213 even both H8147 of them.
13 Love H157 not sleep, H8142 lest thou come to poverty; H3423 open H6491 thine eyes, H5869 and thou shalt be satisfied H7646 with bread. H3899
14 It is naught, H7451 it is naught, H7451 saith H559 the buyer: H7069 but when he is gone H235 his way, then he boasteth. H1984
15 There is H3426 gold, H2091 and a multitude H7230 of rubies: H6443 but the lips H8193 of knowledge H1847 are a precious H3366 jewel. H3627
16 Take H3947 his garment H899 that is surety H6148 for a stranger: H2114 and take a pledge H2254 of him for a strange woman. H5237
17 Bread H3899 of deceit H8267 is sweet H6156 to a man; H376 but afterwards H310 his mouth H6310 shall be filled H4390 with gravel. H2687
18 Every purpose H4284 is established H3559 by counsel: H6098 and with good advice H8458 make H6213 war. H4421
19 He that goeth about H1980 as a talebearer H7400 revealeth H1540 secrets: H5475 therefore meddle H6148 not with him that flattereth H6601 with his lips. H8193
20 Whoso curseth H7043 his father H1 or his mother, H517 his lamp H5216 shall be put out H1846 in obscure H380 H380 darkness. H2822
21 An inheritance H5159 may be gotten hastily H926 H973 at the beginning; H7223 but the end H319 thereof shall not be blessed. H1288
22 Say H559 not thou, I will recompense H7999 evil; H7451 but wait on H6960 the LORD, H3068 and he shall save H3467 thee.
23 Divers weights H68 H68 are an abomination H8441 unto the LORD; H3068 and a false H4820 balance H3976 is not good. H2896
24 Man's H1397 goings H4703 are of the LORD; H3068 how can a man H120 then understand H995 his own way? H1870
25 It is a snare H4170 to the man H120 who devoureth H3216 that which is holy, H6944 and after H310 vows H5088 to make enquiry. H1239
26 A wise H2450 king H4428 scattereth H2219 the wicked, H7563 and bringeth H7725 the wheel H212 over them.
27 The spirit H5397 of man H120 is the candle H5216 of the LORD, H3068 searching H2664 all the inward parts H2315 of the belly. H990
28 Mercy H2617 and truth H571 preserve H5341 the king: H4428 and his throne H3678 is upholden H5582 by mercy. H2617
29 The glory H8597 of young men H970 is their strength: H3581 and the beauty H1926 of old men H2205 is the gray head. H7872
30 The blueness H2250 of a wound H6482 cleanseth H8562 away evil: H7451 so do stripes H4347 the inward parts H2315 of the belly. H990
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 20
Commentary on Proverbs 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Pr 20:1-30.
1. mocker—scorner. Such men are made by wine.
strong drink—made by spicing wine (compare Isa 5:11, 22); and it may include wine.
raging—or boisterous as a drunkard.
deceived—literally, "erring," or reeling.
2. (Compare Pr 19:12). Men who resist authority injure themselves (Ro 13:2).
3. to cease from strife—or, better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the habit of life.
fool … meddling—(Pr 17:14).
4. shall … beg—literally, "ask" (in this sense, Ps 109:10).
5. Counsel … water—that is, deeply hidden (Pr 18:4; Ps 13:2). The wise can discern well.
6. Boasters are unreliable.
goodness—or, "kind disposition."
7. The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good example secure blessing to their children (Pr 4:26; Ps 112:1, 2).
8. As in Pr 14:35; 16:10, 15, this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.
9. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14; Ec 7:20).
10. Various measures, implying that some are wrong (compare Pr 11:1; 16:11).
11. The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare Mt 7:16).
12. Hence, of course, God will know all you do (Ps 94:9).
13. Activity and diligence contrasted with sloth (Pr 6:9; 10:11).
lest … poverty—literally, "be deprived of inheritance."
14. when … his way—implying that he goes about boasting of his bargains.
15. The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare Pr 3:14-16).
16. Take his garment—implies severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.
a strange woman—by some readings "strangers," but the former here, and in Pr 27:13, is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable than the merely careless.
17. Bread … sweet—either as unlawfully (Pr 9:17) or easily obtained.
mouth … gravel—well expresses the pain and grief given at last.
18. (Compare Pr 15:22). Be careful and considerate in important plans.
19. Those who love to tell news will hardly keep secrets.
flattereth … lips—(compare Margin; Pr 1:10).
meddle … him—literally, "join," or "associate with."
20. his lamp—(Compare Pr 13:9; 24:20).
21. gotten hastily—contrary to God's providence (Pr 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Pr 20:17).
22. (Compare Ps 27:14; Ro 12:17-19).
23. (Compare Pr 20:10; 11:1).
24. Man's goings—literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man."
a man—any common man.
understand—or, "perceive."
25. devoureth … holy—or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.
26. (Compare Pr 20:8).
bringeth … over them—The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare Am 1:3).
27. The spirit … Lord—Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare Pr 20:5; Pr 18:8, 17; 1Co 2:11).
28. (Compare Pr 3:3; 16:6, 12).
29. The glory of young men … the beauty of old men—Each age has its peculiar excellence (Pr 16:31).
30. blueness—literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound throws off purulent matter.
stripes … belly—So punishment provides healing of soul (Pr 18:8), by deterring from evil courses.