11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes, And the intelligent poor searcheth him.
Wiser `is' the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven `men' returning a reason.
and there hath been found in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man! And I said, `Better `is' wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.' -- The words of the wise in quiet are heard, More than the cry of a ruler over fools.
The multitude are not wise, Nor do the aged understand judgment.
The wealth of the rich `is' the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
Better `is' the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse `in' his lips, who `is' a fool.
Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not.
Wo `to' the wise in their own eyes, And -- before their own faces -- intelligent!
For he hath said, `By the power of my hand I have wrought, And by my wisdom, for I have been intelligent, And I remove borders of the peoples, And their chief ones I have spoiled, And I put down as a mighty one the inhabitants, And my hand as to a nest Getteth to the wealth of the peoples, And as a gathering of forsaken eggs All the earth I -- I have gathered, And there hath not been one moving wing, Or opening mouth, or whispering.'
Lo, thou `art' wiser than Daniel, No hidden thing have they concealed from thee. By thy wisdom and by thine understanding Thou hast made for thee wealth, And makest gold and silver in thy treasuries. By the abundance of thy wisdom, Through thy merchandise, Thou hast multiplied thy wealth, And high is thy heart through thy wealth.
`No domestic is able to serve two lords, for either the one he will hate, and the other he will love; or one he will hold to, and of the other he will be heedless; ye are not able to serve God and mammon.' And also the Pharisees, being lovers of money, were hearing all these things, and were deriding him,
For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this secret -- that ye may not be wise in your own conceits -- that hardness in part to Israel hath happened till the fulness of the nations may come in;
Let no one deceive himself; if any one doth seem to be wise among you in this age -- let him become a fool, that he may become wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it hath been written, `Who is taking the wise in their craftiness;'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 28
Commentary on Proverbs 28 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 28
Pro 28:1
See here,
Pro 28:2
Note,
Pro 28:3
See here,
Pro 28:4
Note,
Pro 28:5
Note,
Pro 28:6
Here,
Pro 28:7
Note,
Pro 28:8
Note,
Pro 28:9
Note,
Pro 28:10
Here is,
Pro 28:11
Note,
Pro 28:12
Note,
Pro 28:13
Here is,
Pro 28:14
Here is,
Pro 28:15
It is written indeed, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people; but if he be a wicked ruler, that oppresses the people, especially the poor people, robbing them of the little they have and making a prey of them, whatever we may call him, this scripture calls him a roaring lion and a ranging bear.
Pro 28:16
Two things are here intimated to be the causes of the mal-administration of princes:-
Pro 28:17
This agrees with that ancient law, Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed (Gen. 9:6), and proclaims,
Pro 28:18
Note,
Pro 28:19
Note,
Pro 28:20
Here,
Pro 28:21
Note,
Pro 28:22
Here again Solomon shows the sin and folly of those that will be rich; they are resolved that they will be so, per fas, per nefas-right or wrong; they will be so with all speed; they are getting hastily an estate.
Pro 28:23
Note,
Pro 28:24
As Christ shows the absurdity and wickedness of those children who think it is no duty, in some cases, to maintain their parents (Mt. 15:5), so Solomon here shows the absurdity and wickedness of those who think it is no sin to rob their parents, either by force or secretly, by wheedling them or threatening them, or by wasting what they have, and (which is no better than robbing them) running into debt and leaving them to pay it. Now,
Pro 28:25
Note,
Pro 28:26
Here is,
Pro 28:27
Here is,
Pro 28:28
This is to the same purport with what we had, v. 12.