WE now enter upon the second division of the book, which brings us to the strictly proverbial portion. Hitherto we have been listening to Wisdom’s exhortation to enter the house and avail ourselves of the mass of instruction gathered together for our enlightenment as to suited behavior in all circumstances. From this the siren voice of Folly would turn us aside.
Happy the man—particularly the young man—(for again be it remembered this is the book for the direction and guidance of youth)—who refuses the latter, and, attracted by the former, enters and seeks conscientiously to make his own what is here recorded.
As Scripture itself abounds with illustrious examples of almost every proverb we are to have before us, a reference will generally be given in the notes to some person or circumstance manifesting the truth of the saying in question. By referring to these in connection with the reading of the pages that follow, it is hoped the reader will be impressed as never before both with the fullness and richness of the word of God, and with the remarkable manner in which every part of it is linked up with the book of Proverbs.
1 The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son maketh a glad father;
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
In these words the key-note is struck, to be again and again referred to throughout the book, and returned to in the final chapter. The son who is characterized by wisdom, causes his father to rejoice as in the case of Solomon himself (1 Chron. 22:12; 2 Chron. 1:7-12). On the other hand it is the mother who feels most keenly the folly of her child. See Esau in Gen. 26:34. 35 and 27:46.
2 Treasures of lawlessness profit nothing:
But righteousness delivereth from death.
God has not abdicated His throne as the moral governor of the universe; hence sowing follows reaping, as surely as night follows day. “As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool” (Jer. 17:11). On the other hand righteousness, however much one may be called upon to suffer for it in a world like this, “delivereth from death,” when that death, as in the case of the flood and many lesser incidents, is an evidence of God’s judgment. In the book of Esther Haman is the exemplification of the former, and Mordecai of the latter.
3 Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish:
But He casteth away the desire of the lawless.
Let the outward circumstances be as they may the soul of the righteous is lifted above them all and finds cause to rejoice in the midst of tribulation. The lawless have no such confidence; their desire, when they seem just about to comfortably enjoy it, is often taken away in a moment. The triumphant song of Habakkuk (3:17-19) fitly illustrates the first clause, and the fate of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21) the second.
4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand:
But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Scripture never countenances slothfulness; but commands on the part of the Christian that he be “not remiss in zeal.” This, the disorderly among the Thessalonians had evidently forgotten (2 Thess. 3:7-12), and the apostle has to write urging them “that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” Faith and laziness do not mingle. What is sometimes miscalled faith is really presumption. Diligence is the fit companion of the former, as beautifully set forth in Ruth, the Moabitess, who takes the place of the poor and the stranger among the gleaners in the fields of Boaz, to be exalted in due time Ruth 2 to 4).
5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son:
But he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
The principle abides whether in relation to time or eternity. The hour of opportunity if improved bespeaks wisdom; if neglected tells of present folly and future shame. It is of the utmost importance that one set a proper value on the God-given present; “redeeming the time for the days are evil.” Let the laborer in the harvest-fields of the Lord heed the word here given. Now is the time to gather precious sheaves which will be cause for rejoicing in the day of the soon-coming “harvest-home.” He who sleeps in the present reaping season will suffer shame and loss at the judgment-seat of Christ. What an example of the diligent laborer is to be found in Paul, throughout his life of ceaseless activity and concern for a dying world. Demas was one who, charmed by the love of the present world, went off to sleep and left the service for other hands.. His shame abides to this day (2 Tim. 4:10).
6 Blessings are upon the head of the just:
But violence covereth the mouth of the lawless.
7 The memory of the just is blessed:
But the name of the lawless shall rot.
Not more different is the esteem in which the righteous and the wicked are held in life than is their memory after death. Of Paul we have just written above. In 2 Tim. 4:17 we find him standing for judgment before Nero, whom he there denominates “the lion,” from whose mouth he was at that time delivered. Surely, despite his loneliness and his apparently despicable condition, blessings were even then upon the head of Christ’s doughty servant. On the other hand, how truly did violence cover the mouth of his oppressor; leaving him without excuse before the bar of man and of God. Both have long since passed from this scene. Let the centuries witness whose memory has rotted, and whose is still cause for thanksgiving!
8 The wise in heart will receive commandments:
But a prating fool shall fall.
Wisdom, as we have seen, begins with the fear of the Lord. Those so exercised are ready indeed to bow to His word and to receive His commandments. For the Christian, this is the way in which his love for Christ is manifested. The prating word-mouthed fool, who is too wise in his own conceit to require instruction, must learn by coming to grief. In Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar we see the two contrasted. See Daniel 5:18-23.
9 He that walketh in integrity, walketh surely:
But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
To walk in integrity is to walk with God. Whatever misunderstanding there may be at times, the one who so lives shall be shown to have walked surely at last. Men of the world confess that “Honesty is the best policy.” For the man of God, uprightness is not policy, but the delight of his heart; and by it he brings even wicked men to acknowledge that his ways are above reproach, as was manifested in Joseph, after being so sorely tried (Gen. 40 and 41). On the contrary, he whose ways are perverse, though he may cover them for a time, must inevitably be discovered at last. See Ziba’s case (2 Sam. 16:1-4; 19:24-27).
10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow:
But a prating fool shall fall.
Winking with the eye, from time immemorial, has been construed as giving the lie to what the lips utter. He whose words and intentions are opposed, is a source of grief to others, and shall fall himself. The kiss of Judas was an action of this nature. Note last clause here is as in verse 8.
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life:
But violence covereth the mouth of the lawless.
When the life is ordered in accordance with righteousness, the words of the mouth will be for blessing and refreshment to others. It is by carelessness here that many who attempt to minister the gospel are powerless and barren in their service. The testimony of the lips is not backed up by the testimony of the life. Hence, power and usefulness are lacking. Mere “sound words” are not necessarily used in blessing. But if such come from a heart in touch with God, witnessed to by ways that be in Christ, then indeed shall they prove a well of life to the hearers who are truly athirst. Such was the ministry of Samuel in the dark days subsequent to the death of Eli. For last clause see verse 6.
12 Hatred stirreth up strifes:
But love covereth all sins.
The latter part of this verse is quoted in the New Testament. In 1 Peter 4:8, it is written, “and above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” It is not, as some have foolishly supposed, that kindliness and benevolence, on the part of one otherwise guilty before God, will atone for his transgressions, thus covering them in the day of judgment. Other’s faults, not my own, I am called upon to cover. Not by indifference to evil, but by faithfully, in love and grace, showing my brother his sin, and seeking to exercise his conscience in the presence of God, that confession may be made, and thus the sin be covered. Where love is lacking, it is a common practice to play the part of a talebearer, which only tends to add to the evil; for the repeating of sin is defiling, and often leads to lifelong unhappiness and misunderstandings. In Doeg the Edomite we have a sample of the hatred that stirreth up strife; in Nathan’s dealing with David, a lovely exemplification of the love that covereth (1 Sam. 22:9-19; 2 Sam. 12:1-14). See the notes on chapter 11:13.
13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found:
But a rod is for the back of him that is void of heart.
None have, perhaps, exhibited in their own decisions, the contrast of this verse so markedly as Solomon himself and his son Rehoboam. The former, having been under exercise before God, had been given a wise and understanding heart (1 Kings 3:5-28). The latter trusted his own wisdom and the counsel of the companions of his youth, and found a rod for his back in consequence (1 Kings 12:8-19).
14 Wise men lay up knowledge:
But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
None perceive their own limitations so clearly as the truly wise. Humility and a willingness to learn from all who can instruct them is characteristic of such. The conceit of the foolish knows no bounds. With their own mouths they proclaim it in the ears of all men of sound judgment. Their prating but invites destruction. Timothy, “from a child” followed the ways of the first-mentioned (2 Tim. 3:14, 15). The magician Elymas is an illustration of the last-described (Acts 13:6-11).
15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city:
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
For Time alone, and in an era of peace, does this apply; for “riches profit not in the day of wrath”: neither does temporal poverty interfere with future glory. See Dives and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
16 The labor of the righteous tendeth to life:
The produce of the lawless is sin.
It is an Old Testament way of stating the truth of Rom. 8:6, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” The righteous man is the spiritual man. His labor is in accordance with the mind of God, and consequently tends to life. All that the wicked produces is but sin in the sight of infinite holiness; because the sinner is polluted, like a poisoned well, which may give forth water cold and sparkling, but only to be dreaded after all. The first two offerers, Cain and Abel, exemplify the truth here stated (Gen. 4:5-8).
17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction:
But he that refuseth reproof erreth.
It is only when man learns to mistrust himself and to rely alone upon the unerring word of God, unfolded by the Holy Spirit, that his feet walk in the way of life. It is not a question of eternal life or final salvation. But the way of life is the divinely-marked-out path for all the children of God. Such cannot afford to refuse reproof. It is the greatest kindness another saint can show me, to direct my attention to any portion of the truth of God which I am failing to practically own. Let me gladly, then, receive correction, that thus I may be preserved from dishonoring the One who has redeemed me to Himself. Saul refused reproof and lost his kingdom (1 Sam. 15:23). In David, whatever his failures at times, we see one who was characterized by keeping instruction, and who therefore trod the path of life.
18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips,
And he that uttereth a slander is a fool.
Hypocrisy and tale-bearing are alike detestable. To dissimulate—feigning love and friendship while the fire of hatred burns in the heart—and to spread evil stories, are most reprehensible.
It is a matter much to be deplored, that there is by no means the concern about evil-speaking among the saints of the Lord that there should be. In His Word He has over and over again expressed His abhorrence of it in unmistakable terms. In the law it is written, “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people” (Lev. 19:16). The tales might be true; but that could not excuse the bearer of them. If a brother or sister had sinned, there was a far different way to deal with the matter than in spreading the story of his or her shame through the camp of Israel. The following verse delineates the godly way to deal with such a case: “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him” (ver. 17).
This is most searching and solemn. If untrue, I am bearing false witness if I repeat evil. If true, I am defiling others and injuring the soul of the wrong-doer, who might be delivered from his error if I went to him in the spirit of meekness. It is an “ungodly man” (who) “diggeth up evil.” A man of God will seek to cover it, by leading the sinning one to repentance and self-judgment.
Joab’s dealing with Abner (2 Sam. 3:27) was of the character described in the first clause; the accusers of Jeremiah, in the last (Jer. 37:11-15).
19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:
But he that refraineth his lips is wise.
It is remarkable how large a portion of the Scriptures God has seen fit to devote to the subject of His creatures’ words. Readiness of speech is seldom to be found where sin does not creep in. To refrain the lips is often difficult, but it is the part of true wisdom. In the epistle of James an entire chapter is devoted to “the tongue,” that small but most unruly member. The man of God will weigh his words, remembering that for every idle one he must give an account, for it is written, “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (See Eccl. 5:1-7.)
20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver:
The heart of the lawless is of little worth.
Tongue and heart seem to be used here almost synonymously, for the one is controlled by the other. The tongue of the just bespeaks a heart in subjection to God. Therefore the words uttered are of value. The heart of the lawless is made known by his idle and perverse conversation. It was so in the case of Simon Magus, while his reprover displayed the opposite (Acts 8:23).
21 The lips of the righteous feed many:
But fools die for want of heart.
It is not only that the righteous man’s conversation is without foolishness and slanderous statements, but it is positively for profit. When he speaks, it is for edification: others are blessed: his lips feed many. Not so with the fool. His speech is worthless, and he lacks the heart to learn from those who could instruct. Samuel and Saul again come to mind. The words of the former were a means of blessing to thousands, but the unhappy man he had anointed failed himself to profit thereby. See also verses 31, 32.
22 The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich,
And He addeth no sorrow with it.
How unspeakable the folly that would lead one to turn from “pleasures forevermore” and riches imperishable, untainted by sorrow, for the vain baubles offered by the world and Satan, which leave only pain and disappointment at last! The blessing of the Lord is found in the pathway of obedience. Even Christians often miss it by laxity, and indifference to moral and doctrinal evil. Such can only blame themselves when, walking by the light of their own fire and the sparks that they have kindled, they lie down in sorrow.
It is not that the blessing of the Lord insures freedom from tribulation in a world like this; but whatever the trial, all can be received as from a loving Father’s hand, and thus no sorrow will be known. Habbakuk and Paul, in large measure, had entered into the blessing here spoken of (Hab. 3:17-19; Phil. 4:11-13).
23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief:
But a man of understanding hath wisdom.
What the wise man would shrink from with horror, the fool will practice, not only with complacency, but with positive fiendish delight. The man of understanding, whose heart and mind are controlled by the fear of the Lord, will behave himself wisely in a perfect way. Such a fool was Balaam; and Phinehas was a man of understanding, whose wisdom stayed the vengeance of the Lord (Num. 31:16; 25:6-13).
24 The fear of the lawless, it shall come upon him:
But the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the lawless no more:
But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
The two proverbs are really one, contrasting the expectation and end of the righteous and the wicked. The lawless, however bold his appearance, has ever a gnawing fear at his heart of impending calamity. He may well dread the future. for it has judgment unsparing for his portion. The desire of the righteous will as surely be granted—even blessing forevermore.
Soon, as the whirlwind passeth, will the wicked pass away and be no more, so far as this world is concerned. It is no question of extinction of being. He will be gone from earth into a dark and grief-filled eternity. An everlasting foundation is that of the righteous—even God’s imperishable truth. Daniel and his accusers illustrate the two sides (Dan. 6:4-24).
26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,
So is the sluggard to them that send him.
As a strong acid sets the teeth on edge, and smoke inflames the eyes, so is it beyond measure irritating to place confidence in a man who is really indifferent to the success or failure of his commission. How often have the Lord’s sent ones proven to be sluggards, dallying with the world, turning aside for any trifle, instead of pursuing their path with purpose of heart! See the unfaithful servant in Luke 19:20-26.
27 The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days:
But the years of the lawless shall be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness:
But the expectation of the lawless shall perish.
29 The way of Jehovah is strength to the perfect:
But destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity.
30 The righteous shall never be removed:
But the lawless shall not inhabit the earth.
Again, in all four verses, though each a distinct proverb, we have the righteous and the lawless in contrast, both as to the present and the future. Not greater will be the difference between the two classes in eternity than in time. Now, the fear of the Lord prolongs life; for the indiscretions and iniquities of the lawless break their physical constitutions and shorten their days. In eternity, gladness shall be the fulfilled hope of the righteous, while the vain hope of the wicked shall perish, and his portion be endless judgment.
Strength is found in the way of Jehovah; destruction and woe shall be to those who tread the paths of sin. In the age to come, the portion of the righteous shall abide; he shall never be removed: but the evil-doer will have no inheritance in the glorious kingdom then to be established. For both worlds the lawless are not gainers, but losers, by their willful rejection of the Word of Life; while “godliness is profitable in all things, both in the life that now is, and that which is to come.” A host of testimony-bearers on each side come up to confirm the solemn truths here enumerated so pithily. Cain and Abel; Noah and the antediluvian world; Abraham and his idolatrous kin; Isaac and Ishmael; Jacob and Esau; Joseph and his accusers; all in the first book of the Bible, with a vast number throughout its remaining books, witness the great contrast which the testimony of experience in all ages has but confirmed.
With two additional proverbs on the tongue the chapter closes. They are intimately connected, and should be considered together:
31 The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom: But the froward tongue shall be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable:
But the mouth of the lawless speaketh frowardness.
The way and end of the two classes we have noticed. Again we are instructed as to the difference in their speech, which but maketh bare the state of the heart. Wisdom and acceptable words proceed from the lips of the righteous, like limpid streams from a pure fountain. Frowardness, like a filthy torrent, is poured forth by the tongue of the wicked, soon to be silenced in judgment. Jezebel is a solemn beacon, declaring the truth of this word in regard to the wicked. Elijah, whom she hated, may be cited as an instance on the other side.