Proverbs 20

Notes

Ver. 1. Immoderate drinking of wine, or other intoxicating liquors, exposes men to the jest and detestation of others; it makes themselves abusive and scurrilous, mocking even at sacred things, and renders them like fools, sots, or madmen, furious, tumultuous, and quarrelsome: while it seems to exhilarate the spirits, it deceitfully drowns both reason and conscience, and tends to the ruin of both soul and body. 2. The just wrath of a king is terrible: and they that offend him, by exasperating language or behaviour, expose themselves to temporal and lasting ruin. 3. It is honourable to avoid contention to the utmost, and to get out of it as quickly as possible, by confessing our own faults, and forgiving those of our neighbours: but foolish and wicked persons are always ready to begin or maintain quarrels. 4. Such as, through indolence and self-indulgence, neglect their business in its proper season, may expect beggary and misery; while they who are diligent enjoy abundant felicity. 5. Some men, through their reservedness of temper, and others through deep design, conceal their intentions: but persons of great sagacity will discover them, or even by their artful insinuations make themselves to declare them. 6. Most men will boast how friendly, humane, charitable, and generous they are: but it is hard to find one answerable in deeds to his trust, his relation, his promises, or pretences. 7. Justified and gracious persons, by their practice, manifest the sincerity of their heart and profession; and their children are blessed of God and regarded by men on their account. 8. A king who makes it his business to execute judgment and justice faithfully, effectually suppresses crimes and impieties by his strict inspection of affairs. 9. No man on earth is perfectly free from sin in heart or life, nor can he make himself so. 10. To buy with larger weights or measures, and sell with lesser ones, and all other injustice, is extremely detestable to God. 11. Men's continued practice is the surest mark of their disposition, and by that the future conversation of young persons may be guessed at; and yet they, even children, often strangely conceal their vices. 12. All our natural faculties and senses, and the right use of them, are from God, and therefore ought to be employed for his glory. 13. Immoderate sleep, or other slothfulness, wastes our time and draws on poverty and want: but watchful care and diligent labours are the means of obtaining everything necessary. 14. Some, while they buy goods, will dishonestly and falsely cry them down, and yet afterwards boast of their good bargain and cheating the seller. 15. Wise and gracious speeches, proceeding from a wise and understanding heart, are more valuable than all the gold, pearls, or precious things on earth. 16. Never trust him, without a proper pledge, who rashly becomes surety for everybody, strangers and harlots not excepted; for he will quickly be reduced to beggary. 17. Gains, honours, and pleasures, acquired by unrighteous courses, may at first be extremely agreeable to men; but they will at last produce anguish of conscience, pangs of repentance, or torments of despair. 18. Deliberation with ourselves, and consulting with others who are prudent, is the way to obtain success in our undertakings, especially in matters of importance and danger. 19. It is always necessary to suspect flatterers, and to turn a deaf ear to tale-bearers, who, by treacherously revealing the secrets which others have intrusted to them, labour to insinuate themselves into our confidence, and then betray us. 20. Slighters, revilers, abusers, and wishers of mischief to parents, bring fearful and lasting ruin on themselves and posterity, however they may prosper for a time. 21. Many, by unrighteous courses, quickly become rich: but the foundation being laid in rapine, extortion, or fraud, it shall quickly waste away, or prove a curse to such as enjoy it. 22. Never revenge injuries received; but commit thy cause to God who judges righteously; wait patiently in the use of lawful means for the fulfilment of his promises, and he will vindicate and deliver thee in his own time. 23. Injustice, even in the smallest things, is so extremely abominable to God, that it cannot be too much hated or avoided. 24. Men's thoughts, words, and actions are all directed by God to his own ends: and none can certainly know beforehand what will be the issue of them. 25. A sacrilegious converting of what pertains to God to our own private use, and studying how to be loosed from the obligations of solemn vows, terribly ensnare men's souls, and bring certain ruin upon them. 26. Pious and prudent magistrates exert themselves to discourage and terrify the wicked, and punish them with proper severity. 27. The rational soul and conscience, especially when renewed by the Spirit of God, act as his deputies; discovering, judging, accusing, or approving whatever passes within us, according as it is contrary or conformable to God's revealed will. 28. Bounty and clemency, joined with justice and faithfulness to their word, are principal means of securing the government of princes, and entailing their kingdom on their posterity. 29. Strength, vigour, and courage render young men respected, but gravity, wisdom, and experience are the peculiar ornaments of the aged. 30. Severe corrections are necessary to restrain or reclaim some stubborn and obstinate tempers, and to purge out those corrupt affections which are lodged in the heart.

Ver. 6. Generosity is much more common than fidelity; ostentation of generosity more common still. Fidelity to man is not uncommon in the sense of honesty; but in the sense of love, admonition, rebuke, and prayer, how seldom is it to be found! Above all, while men glory in their generosity with the gifts of God, who is faithful in service to the Giver? C.

Ver. 10. This is not confined to mere commercial integrity, but embraces all relative duties, whether between ourselves and our neighbours, or ourselves and God. Take one of the latter, as one of the most neglected, because spiritual and invisible. We expect gratitude of men for all our kindness; do we similarly weigh and measure our gratitude to God? We ask forgiveness of him daily for all our trespasses; do we employ the same weight and measure towards them that trespass against us? C.

Ver. 16. Never place confidence in a thoughtless fool who pledges his word, character, or credit for a stranger who has inveigled him. Above all, never trust an abandoned libertine, who, being 'joined to an harlot,' is dissevered from Christ, 1 Co. 6. 15, 16; and who, careless about his own soul, will never be faithful to your interest farther than he is bound by ties of law, and constrained by its compulsions. C.

Ver. 27. The thoughts of the natural man are chiefly directed to 'what he shall eat and what he shall drink,' Lu. 12. 22, 30; nay, his 'god is his belly,' Phi. 3. 19. But the spirit of the renewed man is the candle of the Lord, searching out and mortifying all the deeds of the body that the soul may live. C.

Ver. 30. The blueness of a wound, &c. Some wounds do occasionally assume a bluish tinge; but it is always an unhealthy symptom, and unfavourable to healing. The word 'blueness' should rather be rendered suppuration, which brings the description into accordance with the ordinary process of healing. C.