This is the 3rd section of the Book. It did not form part of it until the days of King Hezekiah, nearly 3 centuries after the death of Solomon. Scribes must have collected them and written them out.
V.1 Additional wise sayings of Solomon.
V.2 God does not tell His secrets all at once. The greatest example is that God was going to have a bride for His Son, the Lord Jesus. Even He said nothing of this secret while He was here on earth.
V.4 God hates mixture. If the impurities (sins, carelessness, worldliness) are removed, then pure silver will be left. And this will be suited to God (the Refiner).
V.8 Don’t be quick to try to get ahead of others. In the end you may be worse off.
V.9-10 Don’t tell things to your neighbor that have been told to you confidentially. If you do, you may take a long time to get over your bad reputation.
V.11 On the other hand, if you speak carefully and helpfully to your neighbor it is here beautifully compared with apples of gold in pictures (or baskets) of silver.
V.12 A person who quietly speaks to another about something which is not right in His (or her) life, is compared with an ornament of fine gold.
V.14 When clouds appear in the sky in a very dry season, people expect that rain will come. So when a person speaks of making gifts, but fails to carry it out, he disappoints in the same way.
V.15 Great leaders are usually very set in their ideas. But even these can be persuaded by a softly spoken word.
V.16 Honey is a picture (in the Scriptures) of natural niceness. We are not to use too much of it. It will make us and others sick.
V.17 We should be neighborly, but not overdo it!
V.21-22 The greatest part of these two verses is the last six words.
V.26 When a righteous person gives in to wickedness, it is like a quiet, pool when it gets disturbed, a lot of dirt is seen.
V.28 This verse tells us how very important self-control is for a believer. The Apostle Paul tells how important it was for him (1 Cor. 9:20-21). The Apostle Paul uses the Lord Jesus as the perfect example (Read 2 Cor. 10:1).