Proverbs10chapter 10

Proverbs 10:1

“The proverbs of Solomon - Some ancient MSS. of the Vulgate have Proverbiorum liber secundus, “The second book of the Proverbs.” The preceding nine chapters can only be considered as an introduction, if indeed they may be said to make even a part, of the proverbs of Solomon, which appear to commence only at the tenth chapter.”

Proverbs 10:2

“Righteousness delivers from death, that is, wealth gained, and kept, and used, in a right manner (righteousness signifies both honesty and charity); it answers the end of wealth, which is to keep us alive and be a defence to us. It will deliver from those judgments which men bring upon themselves by their wickedness.”

Proverbs 10:3

Do you fear that your patrimony may fail if you begin to act generously from it? For when did it happen that resources could fail a just person, when it is written, "The Lord will not afflict the soul of the just with famine."

Proverbs 10:3

“Casteth away ... - Better, “overturns, disappoints the strong desire of the wicked.” Tantalus-like, they never get the enjoyment they thirst after.”

Proverbs 10:4

“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand,.... That is either remiss in giving to the necessities of others, according to his abilities, and as cases require; or that is negligent and slothful in his business. Or, "that worketh with a deceitful hand"; or, "with a hand of deceit" (u), as it may be rendered; who pretends to work, but does not; makes a show as if he did, but acts deceitfully; or who uses many tricking and deceitful ways and methods to live, as usually slothful persons do.”

Proverbs 10:5

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son,.... Which is the time of gathering the fruits of the earth, and laying them up against winter, as the ant is said to do, Pro 6:8; but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame; to himself, and to his parents and relations.”

Proverbs 10:5

“The son is called upon to enter upon the labors of others, and reap where they have sown. To sleep when the plenteous harvest lies ready for the sickle is the most extreme laziness.”

Proverbs 10:6

“Violence covereth the mouth of the wicked - As blessings shall be on the head of the just, so the violence of the wicked shall cover their face with shame and confusion. Their own violent dealings shall be visited upon them. The mouth forsoth of unpitious men wickidnesse covereth. - Old MS. Bible. “The forehead of the ungodly is past shame, and presumptuous.” - Coverdale.”

Proverbs 10:7

“The memory of the just is blessed - Or, is a blessing. But the name of the wicked shall rot - This is another antithesis; but there are only two antithetic terms, for memory and name are synonymous - Lowth. The very name of the wicked is as offensive as putrid carrion.”

Proverbs 10:8

“The wise in heart will receive commandments,.... Such who have true wisdom in the hidden part of the heart, of which the fear of the Lord is the beginning: these will not only, as good subjects, honour their king, and attend to his lawful commands; and, as dutiful children, regard those of their parents; and, as faithful servants, hearken to those of their masters; but, as such that fear the Lord, will receive and cheerfully obey the commandments of God and Christ; but a prating fool shall fall; like Diotrephes, that prated against the Apostle John and other saints.”

Proverbs 10:8

“A prating fool shall fall - This clause is repeated in the tenth verse. The wise man will receive the commandment: but the shallow blabbing fool shall be cast down. See Pro 10:10.”

Proverbs 10:9

“He that walketh uprightly walketh surely,.... Or, "that walketh in perfection" (c) as the Targum.”

Proverbs 10:9

“Surely - Or, securely, or confidently, as the word properly signifies; quietly resting upon God's favour and gracious providence for his protections. Known - His wickedness shall be publickly discovered.”

Proverbs 10:10

“He that winketh with the eye,.... The Syriac and Arabic versions add, "with fraud". A descriptive character of a wicked man, Pro 6:13; who so does, either to draw and allure persons to go along with him, and join him in his evil practices; or by way of scorn and contempt of others; or as a token to another of its being the proper time to circumvent his neighbour, or do him an injury.”

Proverbs 10:10

“He that winketh with the eye - Instead of the latter clause, on which see Pro 10:8, the Septuagint has, ὁ δε ελεγχων μετα παῥρησιας ειρηνοποιει· “but he that reproveth with freedom, maketh peace.” This is also the reading of the Syriac and Arabic.”

Proverbs 10:10

“Two vices contrasted; hypocrisy, or insinuating evil against one (Pr 6:13; Ps 35:19), and rashness of speech. In each case, the results are on the evildoers.”

Proverbs 10:11

“Compare Pro 10:6. Streams of living water (like the “fountain of living waters” of Jer 2:13; Jer 17:13, and the “living water” of Joh 4:10), flow from the mouth of the righteous, but that of the wicked is “covered,” i. e., stopped and put to silence by their own violence.”

Proverbs 10:12

Ignorance involves a lack of education and learning. It is teaching which implants in us the scientific knowledge of things divine and human. It is possible to live uprightly in poverty. It is also possible in wealth. We admit that it is easier and quicker to track down virtue if we have a preliminary education. It can be hunted down without these aids, although even then those with learning, "with their faculties trained by practice," have an advantage. "Hatred," says Solomon, "stirs up strife, but education guards the paths of life."

Proverbs 10:12

“Hatred stirreth up strifes,.... A man, whose heart is full of hatred and malice against his neighbour, will stir up, or awake, as the word (d) signifies, contentions and quarrels which were happily laid asleep; these he renews by tale bearing, and whisperings, and evil surmises; by raising lies, spreading false reports and calumnies, and by virulent reproaches and slanders; but love covereth all sins; not its own, but others; in imitation of the pardoning love and grace of God, which covers all the sins of his people with the blood and righteousness of his Son.”

Proverbs 10:13

“In the lips of the wise is found wisdom, etc. The rod on the back is vengeance on the posterior, that is, in the following life; well expressed by that famous plague by which the Philistines were struck on their buttocks (1 Sam. V). Therefore, …”

Proverbs 10:14

“The wise hide knowledge. Knowing indeed, that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Eccl. III). Hence the prophet says, "While the sinner stood against me, I was mute and humbled and silent from good things" (Psal. XXXVIII). And the …”

Proverbs 10:14

“Lay up - In their minds, to be brought forth upon fit occasions. Knowledge - Whereby they may be enabled to speak both what, and when it is seasonable. But - Fools are more forward to lay out than to lay up, and for want of knowledge speak much and foolishly, whereby they frequently bring destruction upon themselves.”

Proverbs 10:15

“But riches in themselves are not blameable. For the ransom of a man's life are his riches, for he who gives to the poor, redeems his soul. There is therefore scope for virtue even in these material riches. Ye are as it were pilots, in a great sea. If any man steers well his ship, he quickly passes over the sea, and reaches his haven, but he who cannot manage his property is sunk together with his burthen. Wherefore it is written, The rich man's strength is his strong city.”

Proverbs 10:15

“Destruction - That which crushes, throws into ruins. Wealth secures its possessors against many dangers; poverty exposes men to worse evils than itself, meanness, servility, and cowardice. Below the surface there lies, it may be, a grave irony against the rich; see Pro 18:11.”

Proverbs 10:16

“The labor of the righteous - The good man labors that he may be able to support life; this is his first object: and then to have something to divide with the poor; this is his next object. The fruit of the wicked to sin - This man lives to eat and drink, and his property he spends in riot and excess. God’s blessings are cursed to him.”

Proverbs 10:16

“The labour - The fruit of his labour, to the preservation of this life, and obtaining eternal life. Fruit - The fruit of all their labour tends to sin, and serves only for fuel to mens pride and luxury.”

Proverbs 10:18

“He that hideth hatred with lying lips,.... Or he whose "lying lips hide hatred", which is much the same; who pretends to be a friend, and outwardly behaves as one, but inwardly nourishes and cherishes hatred in his heart, which he covers and conceals, till he has a proper opportunity of showing it; as Absalom to Ammon, Joab to Amasa, the men of Anathoth to Jeremiah, and Judas to Christ; see Pro 26:24. Or, "he that hideth hatred is a man of lying lips" (m); he is a liar, as the person next described is a fool.”

Proverbs 10:19

The virtue of silence, especially in church, is very great. Let no sentence of the divine lessons escape you. If you give ear, restrain your voice, utter no word with your lips which you would wish to bring back, but let your boldness to speak be sparing. For in truth in much speaking there is abundance of sin. To the murderer it was said, "You have sinned, be silent," that he might not sin more; but to the virgin it must be said, "Be silent lest you sin."

Proverbs 10:19

“There wanteth not sin - Some render this, “Sin shall not cease,” etc., i. e., many words do not mend a fault. Silence on the part both of the reprover and the offender is often better. The King James Version is, however, preferable.”

Proverbs 10:20

“When I read the Proverbs today, I began with this sentence: "The tongue of the righteous is tried silver." I said, If the tongue of the righteous is choice silver, the tongue of the wicked is most polluted. What is more choice or what is …”

Proverbs 10:20

“The heart of the wicked is little worth - כמעט kimat, is like little or nothing; or is like dross, while the tongue of the just is like silver. A sinner’s heart is worth nothing, and is good for nothing; and yet because it is his most hidden part, he vaunts of its honesty, goodness, etc.! Yes, yes; it is very honest and good, only the devil is in it! that is all.”

Proverbs 10:21

“Feed - The Hebrew word, like ποιμαίνειν poimainein, includes the idea of guiding as well as nourishing; doing a shepherd’s work in both. For want of wisdom - Some prefer, through him who wanteth understanding, referring to a person. The wise guides others to safety; the fool, empty-headed, and empty-hearted, involves others like himself in destruction.”

Proverbs 10:21

“While many are fed by the lips of the righteous, fools die for want of wisdom; and fools indeed they are to die for want of that which they might so easily come by. Fools die for want of a heart (so the word is); they perish for want of consideration and resolution; they have no heart to do any thing for their own good. While the righteous feed others fools starve themselves.”

Proverbs 10:23

“As if through laughter a fool works mischief, etc. Prudence takes its name from providence. Therefore, it is foolish to rejoice in mischief (Proverb. XIV). However, it is wise and worthy of a man to foresee that laughter will be mixed with pain, and the …”

Proverbs 10:24

“What the wicked fears shall come upon him, etc. He speaks of that wicked one who sins knowingly. Therefore, the wicked fear to see the strict judge; the righteous desire to be dissolved and be with Christ: he, lest he be deprived of earthly joys …”

Proverbs 10:25

“Or, when the whirlwind is passing, then the wicked is no more. Compare Mat 7:24-27. The righteous ... - In the later rabbinic interpretation this was applied to the Messiah as being the Just One, the Everlasting Foundation, on whom the world was established.”

Proverbs 10:26

“As vinegar to the teeth - The acid softening and dissolving the alkali of the bone, so as to impair their texture, and render them incapable of masticating; and as smoke affects the eyes, irritating their tender vessels, so as to give pain and prevent distinct vision; so the sluggard, the lounging, thriftless messenger, who never returns in time with the desired answer.”

Proverbs 10:27

“The fear of the Lord prolongeth days,.... Not beyond the time fixed in the unalterable purposes and decrees of God, Job 14:5; but longer than some others, or than those that fear the Lord expect to live; or longer than, according to the course of nature, and the weakness of their constitutions, it could be thought they should live.”

Proverbs 10:28

“The expectation of the wicked shall perish - A wicked man is always imposing on himself by the hope of God’s mercy and final happiness; and he continues hoping, till he dies without receiving that mercy which alone would entitle him to that glory.”

Proverbs 10:29

“The way of the Lord is strength to the upright,.... Who are upright in heart and life; who have the uprightness or righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and right spirits renewed in them; in consequence of which they walk uprightly, Pro 10:”

Proverbs 10:29

Omit “shall be.” The meaning is: “The Way of Yahweh,” i. e., the Divine Order of the world, has its two sides. It is “strength to the upright, destruction to the workers of iniquity.”

Proverbs 10:31

“Bringeth forth ... - As a tree full of life and sap brings forth its fruit. So the “froward tongue” is like a tree that brings forth evil and not good fruit; it “shall be cut down.” The abuse of God’s gift of speech will lead ultimately to its forfeiture. There shall, at last, be the silence of shame and confusion.”

Proverbs 10:32

“The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable - And what they believe to be most pleasing and most profitable, that they speak, but the wicked man knows as well what is perverse, and that he speaketh forth. As the love of God is not in his heart, so the law of kindness is not on his lips.”