NOTHING that concerns His creatures is of too small moment for the Creator to take note of. Therefore, in the opening words of this chapter we have a section devoted to the suited behavior of a man who dines with one of higher station than himself.
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,
Consider well who is before thee:
2 And put a knife to thy throat,
If thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties;
For they are deceitful meat.
Self-restraint at the table of one in power who has invited, is what is here inculcated. To presume on the lasting favor of one in high station, and to accept privileges accorded by him, as though deserved, is unwise on the part of one of lesser rank. There is a quiet deference which is consistent at such times. A blasé manner soon excites disgust, and readily draws down indignation and ill-will. Daniel and the Hebrew children manifested a commendable spirit when honored with the king’s dainties.
Though not sitting with him exactly, yet they may fittingly be referred to in this connection (Dan. 1).
4 Labor not to be rich:
Cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?
For [riches] certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Many are the warnings in Scripture against making the accumulation of wealth the object of the heart. The man who, trusting in his own wisdom, ignores divine instruction as to this, will find, when too late, that he has set his eyes upon that which is fleeting and evanescent; for earthly treasure is often dissipated far more easily than collected. Riches seem possessed with wings. Like eagles, they fly away, leaving him whose mind was set upon them, disappointed and heartsick.
But, though God has thus faithfully set forth the folly of the mad chase after wealth, how slight has been the impression produced thereby upon the mind of saint or sinner. In the world, men will strain every nerve and exhaust every scheme to become possessed of money which they can never enjoy; and it is plain, that many of the children of God are contaminated by the same covetous spirit. We are slow to learn, therefore the need of the Lord’s discipline which many of us have to experience all our days. See Paul’s word as to the dangers of making haste to be rich (1 Tim. 6:6-106But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:6‑10), and note verses 17,18).
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye,
Neither desire thou his dainty meats:
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
Eat and drink, saith he to thee;
But his heart is not with thee.
8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up
And thou wilt have wasted thy sweet words.
Eating and drinking are once more reverted to. Here the warning is against accepting the hospitality of an insincere person. He may speak fair and profess to delight in your company; but safety consists in shunning him and refusing his advances. If entrapped by appetite, depend upon it, all his delicacies will prove unsatisfying, and pleasant agreeable words will be wasted: for in one way or another he will see that his favors are returned. To do good, and give, “hoping for nothing again,” is not his thought. He will seek to use for his own advantage, those who, by accepting his pretended kindnesses, put themselves under obligation to him. However bland his smile, “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Covetousness and self-seeking are there, and his ways are shaped accordingly, See the old prophet of Bethel (1 Kings 13).
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of thy sayings.
To seek to instruct him whose heart is set on folly and waywardness is but wasting one’s breath, or like casting pearls before swine. When there is no desire for wisdom, but knowledge and understanding have been deliberately trampled underfoot, it is useless to waste words. See Proverbs 26:44Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. (Proverbs 26:4). Jotham’s remonstrance with the followers of Abimelech is a case in point (Judges 9:7-217And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) 19If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. (Judges 9:7‑21)).
10 Remove not the old landmark;
And enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 For their Redeemer is mighty;
He shall plead their cause with thee.
See note on Proverbs 22:2828Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. (Proverbs 22:28). He who, because of their apparent helplessness, invades the field of the widow or the orphan, in order to enlarge his own possessions, will learn to his sorrow that they have a Goel, or Kinsman-Redeemer, in Jehovah Himself. He will espouse their cause, and manifest His power on their behalf. Let those who are wronged commit their affairs to him, knowing that He cannot fail any who trust His love and count upon His intervention. It is refreshing and uplifting to see how David referred all his concerns to this mighty Pleader, when misjudged and oppressed. See Psalm 35.
12 Apply thy heart to instruction,
And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
This is another reminder of that which was set before the young man so fully in the nine opening verses of Proverbs 2. Only when the heart is applied to instruction, and the ear bent upon hearing right and profitable words, will there be progress in divine things. A careless learning by rote will never profit. It is when the whole being is occupied with the truth, that Wisdom makes her abode in the soul of him who seeks her. An aged Christian was said to have “meditated the Bible through three times” in his life. This is very different from merely reading the Scriptures. It implies patient, careful study of each portion perused. Only by some such means will there be true spiritual growth. Listen to Jeremiah (Jer. 15:1616Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)).
13 Withhold not correction from the child:
For if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod,
And shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.
See note on Proverbs 19:1818Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. (Proverbs 19:18). Discipline, administered seasonably (not in harshness, or undue severity), is for the profit of the child. In this way, by means of present suffering, he will be preserved from the ruin and wretchedness which are bound to follow a life of self-seeking and unsubdued, perverse will. Sheol is not exactly hell. It is the world of spirits; here used as that to which a vicious life will soon lead. Chastisement will correct these evil tendencies. It were well if all parents had the concern as to the ordering of their children that Manoah manifested (Judges 13:8-128Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. 9And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day. 11And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. 12And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him? (Judges 13:8‑12)).
15 My son, if thy heart be wise,
My heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 Yea, my reins shall exult,
When thy lips shall speak right things.
We may hear, in these words of a father addressed to his son, the desire of our Father, God, that His children walk in the truth. It is precious indeed to be thus afforded the holy privilege of giving joy to His heart by loving wisdom and speaking right things. See 3 John 3, 43For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 John 3‑4).
17 Let not thy heart envy sinners;
But be thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day long.
18 For surely there is a latter end (or, a reward);
And thine expectation shall not be cut off.
To envy those who seem to prosper in wickedness is not wise, for their day of retribution is coming. However righteousness may suffer in the present age, it will be proven at last that they had the better part who daily lived in the fear of the Lord. It seems certain that in the latter verse of this pair the doctrine of future retribution is more than hinted at. Newberry suggests “Verily there is a hereafter” as an adequate rendering of the original. The thought appears to be that there is a time coming when present conditions shall be reversed, and righteousness shall triumph. Then he who has walked in integrity and the fear of God will be rewarded for all his sufferings here. See the last two beatitudes in our Lord’s so-called sermon on the mount (Matt. 5:10-1210Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:10‑12)).
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise,
And guide thy heart in the way.
20 Be not among winebibbers;
Among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty;
And drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Intemperance in eating and drinking bespeaks a heart uncontrolled by wisdom. The Christian is bidden to be temperate in all things, that by sobriety and careful behavior he may commend the gospel of God, keeping under his body and bringing it into subjection, not being ruled by its carnal appetites. He who heeds not words like these must bear his just punishment. This was the sin of the stubborn and rebellious son of Deuteronomy 21:2020And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. (Deuteronomy 21:20). See verses 29 to 35 below.
22 Harken unto thy father that begat thee,
And despise not thy mother when she is old.
Exuberant youth, self-confident, and resourceful, is likely to forget the reverence due to parents when age enfeebles the once bright and active mind. Let the young give them that filial consideration which they will desire for themselves when years have destroyed early vigor and mentality. Esther’s obedience to her aged cousin Mordecai is a lovely sample of what is here inculcated (Esth. 2:2020Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. (Esther 2:20)).
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not;
Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
See note on Proverbs 4:7-97Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. 9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. (Proverbs 4:7‑9). An important word this for our Laodicean and latitudinarian age. We may well cry, with the prophet, “Truth has fallen in our streets.” But he who desires the approval of God above the praise of men will value it nevertheless, and be ready to purchase it at the cost of friends, reputation, possessions, yea, life itself. Nor will he part with it whatever the suffering that may result from contending earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Rationalists may sneer, and the superstitious persecute; but he who possesses the truth will find with it wisdom, instruction and understanding such as all the wise men after the flesh are strangers to. Who exemplified what is here inculcated more than the one-time rabbi of Tarsus? See Philippians 3:7-117But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (Philippians 3:7‑11).
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice:
And he that begetteth a wise son shall have joy of him.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad,
And she that bare thee shall rejoice.
See second clause of Proverbs 10:11The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. (Proverbs 10:1). Righteousness and wisdom in their children fill the hearts of parents with a joy beyond telling. To see those for whose salvation from folly and iniquity they have toiled and prayed, walking in uprightness and prudence through a world of abounding snares, cannot but gladden and greatly cheer. How little the young at times reflect upon the effect of their ways for good or ill upon their fathers and mothers. Many will declare that they love tenderly those who have lavished such unremitting affection upon them all their lives, while yet by their actions they are wounding their spirits and breaking their hearts. Consider verses 15 and 16 above. See Jacob and Joseph (Gen. 46-48).
26 My son, give me thy heart,
And let thine eyes delight in my ways.
It is again, as in verse 15, a greater than Solomon who speaks. To the lawless the words are not addressed. Such have no heart for God, nor can their eyes find in His ways, anything in which to delight. But to His sons, He says “Give Me thy heart.” It is His right, and surely the child of His grace will rejoice in thus being able to give Him what He craves. It is not mere service as in Martha’s case, but heart-occupation with Himself that he yearns for, as illustrated in Mary. Who that has known the preciousness of redemption by the blood of Christ will not gladly say,
“Take my poor heart, and let it be
Forever closed to all but Thee.
Take my love, my Lord; I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.”
He is worthy of the best we have to give. To Him we rightly yield the citadel of our deepest affections. It is only when He possesses the heart that His ways will be delighted in. See the living sacrifice of Romans 12:1, 21I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1‑2).
27 For a harlot is a deep ditch;
And a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey,
And increaseth the transgressors among men.
Compare Proverbs 7; see the notes. If the young man would be preserved from impurity and ensnarement of soul, God must have his heart.
None are safe who allow their affections to be fixed on objects “under the sun.” Everywhere are there to be found those who would decoy from the paths of truth and virtue. In the Lord alone is there strength and deliverance. Like a deep ditch, hidden until one has stumbled into it, is the unholy woman who has been so frequently warned against. He who pleases God shall escape from her. How terribly was Samson made to suffer through one like this! (Judg. 16).
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow?
Who hath contentions? who hath anxiety?
Who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Six questions are now asked, to be answered in the verses that follow. Woe, sorrow, contentions, anxiety (or perhaps, mutterings), needless wounds, and inflamed eyes are characteristic of him who is about to be described.
The abrupt inquiries fix the mind and focus the attention upon the terrible and vivid description of the drunkard that is at once presented in reply.
30 They that tarry long at the wine;
They that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
When it giveth its color in the cup,
When it goeth down smoothly.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent,
And stingeth like an adder.
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women,
And thy heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the heart of the sea,
Or as one that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35 They smote me [shalt thou say], and I was not sick;
They have beaten me, and I knew it not:
When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Indulgence in the pleasures of the wine-cup to inebriation, is a prolific cause of human sorrow. Drunkenness is one of the greatest curses of the ages, yet it is a sin that seems ever seductive and attractive to the convivially inclined. Throwing to one side all restraint, such a one is allured by the sparkle of the bubbling liquor. But the results beggar all description. What seemed so delightful and innocent becomes like a venomous reptile taken into the bosom, whose bite sets the veins on fire. Immorality is linked with drunkenness, as effect with cause. All self-respect goes when the brain is controlled by the deadly poison. Lust and license possess the being.
The inebriate is like a man endeavoring to lie down in the heart of the waves of the sea, or like one who tries to sleep upon the mast head. Recovering a measure of consciousness there is the sense of bruising and wounding, but after all no determination to flee the cause that has, in a great measure, destroyed the will. The unnatural craving which possesses the being leads him to seek again the means of his destruction. See Nabal (1 Sam. 25:36-3836And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 37But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. (1 Samuel 25:36‑38)).
It becomes the child of God to flee these things, and by sobriety and self-control, to be an example to those who are weaker. “It is good, neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is ensnared, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Rom. 14:21, 2221It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. (Romans 14:21‑22)). To play fast and loose with what has ruined so many myriads of our fellow-men is certainly not to walk charitably. “We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom. 15:11We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (Romans 15:1)). Careless indulgence in that which is to others like the poison of the adder is most inconsistent and thoughtless.