John Gill

The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.

“The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked,.... Not so much the stately palace he lives in, and the furniture of it, as the glory, splendour, riches, and largeness of his family; the flourishing condition he and they are in: he considers how…”

Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.

“Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,.... For want of bread; or, "of the weak", as the Septuagint and other versions; for want of help and protection, when in the greatest distress; and, with the most pressing importunity, entreats his assistance, and…”

A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.

“A gift in secret pacifieth anger,.... Appeases an angry man; humbles and "brings his anger down" (y), as Aben Ezra and Gersom observe the word signifies; which before rose very high, and showed itself in big words and disdainful looks, as proud wrath does; or…”

He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.

“He that followeth after righteousness and mercy,.... Is eager, diligent, and fervent in his pursuit of these things: "after righteousness"; not a legal righteousness, such as the Jews followed after, but did not attain to; because they sought it not by faith, but as it…”

A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

“A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,.... Which makes good what is elsewhere said, that "wisdom is better than strength", Ecc 9:16; and sometimes more is done by prudence and wisdom, by art and cunning, by schemes and stratagems, than by power and…”

The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.

“By humility and the fear of the Lord,.... Some render it, "the reward of humility, which is the fear of the Lord" (r); so the Targum; an humble man is blessed with it.”

Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.

“Cast out the scorner,.... That makes a mock at sin, a jest at religion, and scoffs at all good men, and everything serious and spiritual; cast such an one out of all company and conversation; out of the family, as mocking Ishmael was cast out…”

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge—

“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,.... Here begins a new part or division of this book.”

So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.

“That thy trust may be in the Lord,.... By means of the words of the wise, or doctrines of the Gospel, faith in Christ is first had; men are directed and encouraged hereby to believe in him; and by the same means faith is increased…”

Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,

“Have not I written to thee excellent things,.... In the Scriptures. Some render it, "three things" (c); and think that Solomon refers to the three divisions of the Scriptures among the Jews, the law, the prophets, and holy writings; so Jarchi; but some of those…”

or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

“Lest thou learn his ways,.... And be as wrathful and furious, as quarrelsome and contentious, as he is.”

Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.

“Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. Or, "the ancient border" or "boundary" (n); by which lands, estates, and inheritances, were marked, bounded, and distinguished; set by ancestors in agreement with their neighbours; which to remove was contrary to a law, and…”

and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.

“And put a knife to thy throat,.... Refrain from too much talk at the table; give not too loose to thy tongue, but bridle it, considering in whose presence thou art; do not use too much freedom, either with the ruler or fellow guests; which…”

Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;

“Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye,.... A sordid covetous man, that grudges every bit that is eaten, in opposition to a man of a good eye, or a bountiful one, that is liberal and generous, Pro 22:9; if he…”

for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he,.... He is not the man his mouth speaks or declares him to be, but what his heart thinks; which is discovered by his looks and actions, and by which he is to be judged of…”

Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

“Remove not the old landmark,.... See Gill on Pro 22:28; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless; to carry off the increase of them, to reap their wheat, or mow their grass, or turn in cattle to eat it; or to encroach upon…”

for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.

“For their Redeemer is mighty,.... As he must needs be, since the Lord of hosts is his name; who sympathizes with them, has mercy on them, is their father, and their friend; see Jer 50:34; he shall plead their cause with thee; or "against thee"…”

For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty,.... They consuming their substance upon their bellies, in eating and drinking; see Pro 21:17; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags; excessive eating and drinking brings drowsiness on men, unfits them for business, and…”

For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.

“For a whore is a deep ditch,.... Or, "as a deep ditch", so Aben Ezra; to which she may be compared for the filthiness of her whoredoms, and for her insatiable lust, as well as for her being never satisfied with what she receives from…”

Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.

“She also lieth in wait as for a prey,.... At the door of her house, in the corner of the streets, in the dark of the night; laying her snares, and spreading her nets, for unwary persons, to make a prey of their virtue and…”

You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:

“Yea, thou shall be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea,.... Not in the open sea, and the waves of it, there fluctuating and tossed about; nor in an island encompassed by sea; but in a ship at sea, a drunken…”

“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

“They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick,.... Or "grieved not" (x); or was not wounded or skin broken (y); see Jer 5:”

for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.

“For their heart studieth destruction,.... To others; to good men, that separate from them, and reprove them, or are in their way; or any ways hinder them in the prosecution of their wicked designs; as Haman's heart studied the destruction of the Jews: or their…”

By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;

“Through wisdom is a house builded,.... A family is built up, furnished and supplied with the necessaries and conveniences of life, and brought into flourishing and prosperous circumstances, by wise and prudent management, by diligence and industry, through the blessing of God upon them, without…”

through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

“And by knowledge shalt the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. That are both of worth, value, and usefulness, and for ornament and delight; the more private and retired parts of a man's dwelling house, as well as his shops, warehouses, barns…”