Proverbs 14

Notes

Ver. 1. A virtuous wife, by her piety, prudence, good economy, and the like, supports and advances her family in honour, happiness, and wealth: but a wicked imprudent wife, by her pride, prodigality, idleness, carelessness, or otherwise, will quickly reduce a happy family to poverty, disgrace, and ruin. 2. By a universal regard to piety and virtue, men manifest the fear and holy reverence of God implanted in their heart: but by an obstinate rebellion against his laws, and eager study to gratify their sinful lusts and passions, they discover their profane contempt of his Majesty. 3. The insolent, calumniating, and contemptuous speeches of proud men are very injurious and wounding to others, and often at last prove a scourge to themselves: but the prudent, peaceable, and pleasing words of wise men, neither offending God nor men, secure them in safety. 4. They who would have plenty must be content with the dirt that labour makes; or if the tillage of the fields be neglected, famine must follow; but laborious tillage will issue in great plenty. 6. Proud self-conceited scoffers at what is holy and serious are never like to profit by their studies, or to come to the knowledge of divine truth; whereas they who humbly, and dependently on God, apply themselves to search out truth, quickly attain to the knowledge of whatever is necessary and useful. 7. It is proper to flee from the company of such persons as discover the corruption of their heart in the vanity or wickedness of their words. 8. Prudent men chiefly study to know how to act in their own calling and religious course; but wicked men employ their knowledge and wit to deceive others. 9. Insensible of the evil, malignity, and danger of sin, wicked men harden themselves in it, please themselves with their own and other men's sins, sport themselves in the commission or recollection thereof, and so provoke God to wrath against them; but they who are afraid of, hate, and avoid sin, truly love and regard their neighbours, and obtain favour with God and man. 10. No one can know what another inwardly suffers in worldly griefs and vexations, or in troubles of conscience; neither can they share with him in his inward joys, particularly those of a spiritual nature. 11. The stately houses, wealthy and honoured families of the wicked, shall in wrath be reduced to ruin and misery, and their hopes of eternal happiness issue in everlasting despair; whereas the poor and unsettled family of the truly pious shall flourish and become illustrious. 12. There is need strictly and impartially to try courses and customs: for prejudice, self-flattery, affected ignorance, and the like, make many things seem lawful and good which are really sinful and ruinous. 13. Immoderate joys and pleasures are ordinarily mingled with and issue in inward vexation and anguish: and the diverting of inward convictions and important duties by carnal mirth will quickly issue in the weepings and wailings of eternal despair. 14. He who even in heart revolts from God and his ways, shall be fearfully overwhelmed with the punishment of his sin; but a good man, who steadfastly cleaves to the Lord, shall enjoy great comfort in the testimony of a good conscience, and in keeping God's commands. 15. Weak half-witted persons believe every idle story and plausible pretence, and thereby are drawn into evil: but prudent men examine things before they trust to them or practise them. 16. A wise man, when warned of his error or danger, fears to displease God or to provoke his wrath, and immediately starts back from the sin to which he was tempted, or in which he had involved himself: but a fool rages against those that reprove, warn, or threaten him, and goes on resolutely in sin, fearless of any danger. 17. He who is soon angry involves himself in rash and imprudent words and actions, for which he is to be pitied: but a man who conceals his wrath, and deliberately contrives how to take a cruel revenge, deserves to be hated and abhorred. 18. Inconsiderate sinners hold fast their wickedness, and delight in it, as their portion and inheritance, till they feel the woful effects of it: but the prudent, to their remarkable honour and influence, increase in spiritual understanding. 19. Even in this world the wicked are often obliged to stoop and submit to the righteous, and implore their favour and relief: and at the last day, the debasement of the wicked, and exaltation of the righteous, shall be complete. 20. If a man fall into poverty, his neighbours, who once professed great friendship, will forsake and disregard him: but if a man grow rich, many, who before took no notice of him, will pretend great affection to him, and even the greatest will offer him their favour. 21. He who overlooks and contemns his poor neighbour provokes God to punish and render him miserable: but he who compassionately relieves the poor shall be blessed by God on that account. 22. They who contrive mischief against their innocent neighbours miss their end and ruin themselves: but they who study to do men real good shall be graciously and faithfully rewarded by God. 23. Industrious labour in any lawful calling will bring in some gain: but talkativeness and proud boasting tend only to make men beggars. 24. Riches are a singular ornament and advantage to wise men who know how to use them, because thereby they have the greater opportunities of doing good: but riches only render foolish men's folly the more notorious, because they have thereby the greater opportunities of doing mischief and wickedness. 25. An upright witness will, at all hazards, avow the truth, to save the lives or characters of such as are falsely accused: but deceitful men will boldly pour forth lies and calumnies to destroy the innocent. 26. They that fear God may be confident of his protection to themselves and their posterity in times of danger. 27. A holy regard to God, and obedience to his law, will issue in men's solid and eternal comfort, and preserve them from those sinful courses in which many are ensnared to their own destruction. 28. Kings ought to cherish their subjects; for on their number, wealth, and power, their own honour depends; and if they be wasted by unnecessary wars, or forced by oppression into other countries, it will prove the ruin of the kingdom. 29. He who under great provocations can maintain a calmness of temper, discovers much wisdom and grace: but he who is hastily inflamed by reproaches and ill-usage, exposes his corruption and folly, and makes it apparent to every one. 30. Nothing more conduces to health and happiness than a mind renewed by God's Spirit, freed from the dominion of sinful lusts, quiet, gentle, and contented: but envy, and such like fretful passions, torment men's spirits, waste their bodies, and hasten them towards hell and the grave. 31. He that defrauds or oppresses the poor, or withholds the relief which their circumstances require, forgets and even practically blasphemes God who makes them poor, and engages himself to defend and relieve them: but he who hath any due respect to God will show pity to the poor, and labour to supply them. 32. In death the wicked is suddenly and irresistibly driven away from all his beloved hopes and enjoyments in his sinful state; and often, in the very act of sin, and always on account of it, into everlasting misery: but the righteous, being united to Christ, clothed with his righteousness, and sanctified by his indwelling Spirit, has, even in trouble and death, well-grounded hopes of eternal felicity. 33. Prudent men study to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ, without making unseasonable or ostentatious demonstrations of it: but foolish men expose themselves by their eager desire to vent their minds in every company. 34. Religion and virtue, equity and kindness, through the blessing of God, increase the glory, power, and wealth of a nation: but rebellion against God, or injuring of mankind, disgraces and ruins societies. 35. A prudent, active, and faithful minister of state cannot but be dear to a wise king: and one who by his ill management disgraces his government, and brings all things into confusion, cannot but be the object of his wrath.

Ver. 1. The wise woman, by her prudence and management, godly example, and instruction, raises her family either in riches or character, or both; while the foolish, by her vanity, extravagance, and neglect, brings ruin upon herself, her husband, and her children. This truth applies to churches as well as to families. C.

Ver. 6. Those that would not strive, Lu. 13. 24, 25, and the 'foolish virgins' who neglected, Mat. 25. 8-11, all sought to enter and were refused. The first, because they did not strive; and when forced to come near, they still stood without, and would not enter by Christ the door, Jn. 10. 9; and the 'foolish virgins' came without light, without Christ 'the true light,' Jn. 1. 4, 9, and were therefore justly rejected and condemned, Jn. 3. 19. C.

Ver. 12. If a man judge by temporal advantages, and not by eternal interests—if he follow human authority in preference to divine truth—if he obey the impulse of passion instead of reason and conscience, all his ways will seem right when seen by these false lights, but their seeming will not change their nature—they all terminate in spiritual and eternal death. C.

Ver. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himself. How can a man be satisfied from himself? Not from himself, as a branch bearing fruit by its own power; but from himself as a branch in Christ the living vine, and bearing all his fruit because of this union, Jn. 15. 5; not from himself as a mine, natively producing silver, gold, or gems; but from himself as an earthen vessel which God has enriched with his heavenly treasures, 2 Co. 4. 7. C.

Ver. 19. The evil bow before the good. Sooner or later this event is always realized; and the temporary exceptions never finally weaken or contradict the general rule. It is now verified in every righteous judgment by an upright judge upon earth: it will finally be completed by the Judge of the quick and the dead. C.

Ver. 30. A sound heart. A sound heart is a heart restored to spiritual health by Jesus, the only physician of the soul, Mat. 9. 12; and its principal symptoms are faith, hope, and love—a 'conscience void of offence,' because 'sprinkled from dead works,' which contributes as much to relieve bodily suffering, and promote bodily health, as to remove spiritual trouble and promote peace and enjoyment. C.

Ver. 33. Wisdom will neither 'cast its pearls before swine, nor give that which is holy to the dogs,'—and must therefore often rest and wait for opportunities. But the vanity that is in the heart of fools is always seeking occasions for display, and cares nothing about others if it only can glorify itself. C.