1. a fool] We are left to read in the word rich, from the contrast implied by the parallelism: upright poverty is better than perverse folly, by whatever advantages of wealth, of birth, or of rank, it may be accompanied. The proverb recurs, with variations, Proverbs 28:6.

2. that the soul be without knowledge] If with R.V. text we retain this rendering, we may well recognise in the rendering of R.V. marg. a true explanation of the proverb:

“Desire without knowledge is not good;

And he that hasteth with his feet misseth his way.”

“The soul,” however fervently and however rightly it desires, needs knowledge to bring its desires to good effect. “Holy desires” must be directed by “good counsels,” if they are to issue in “just works.” And to start hastily on our path, whether material or moral, without such knowledge and counsel, is to miss our way; to wander, or to sin.

sinneth] Lit. misseth the mark. Comp. Jdg 20:16.

4. maketh] Rather, addeth; προστίθησι, LXX.; addunt (divitiæ), Vulg.; the contrast being between the new friends gained by wealth, and the existing friend (R.V.) lost by poverty, ὁ δὲ πτωχὸς καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑπάρχοντος φίλου λείπεται, LXX.; A paupere autem et hi, quos habuit, separantur, Vulg.

5. speaketh] Lit. breatheth out; and so in Proverbs 19:9 below.

6. prince] It is better to preserve the parallelism, and to render the Heb. word in its primary sense of princely disposition, the liberal man, R.V. text, than with A.V. and R.V. marg., of princely rank. The same word is rendered liberal, Isaiah 32:5; Isaiah 32:8. Comp. Keble’s version of it in Psalm 51:12 (Sixth Sun. after Trinity):

“The princely heart of innocence.”

7. pursueth them with words] sc. of persuasion and entreaty. The R.V. marg. renders, He pursueth after words which are nought, i.e. after the fair but false promises of his friends.

wanting to him] Rather, are gone, R.V., desert him in his time of need.

The fact that this is the only example in this division of the Book of a proverb, which is a tristich, or consists of three clauses, leaves little doubt that the last clause of this verse properly belongs to another proverb, of which one member has fallen out of our present text. This conclusion is in some measure confirmed by the appearance in the LXX. of two complete distichs, though the whole verse is there confused and apparently corrupt, and does not help to the restoration of the original Heb. text.

8. wisdom] Heb., a heart. Comp. Proverbs 7:7, Proverbs 9:4; Job 12:3; Job 34:10; in all which places the Heb. word rendered understanding is the same as here.

9. shall perish] We have, shall not escape, in the otherwise identical proverb of Proverbs 19:5 above.

10. delight] Rather, luxury, or delicate living, R.V. οὐ συμφέρει ἄφρονι τρυφὴ, LXX. Comp. οἱ ἐν τρυφῇ ὑπάρχοντες ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις εἰσίν, Luke 7:25; as “a servant” would be if he had “rule over princes.”

On this second clause Dean Plumptre (Speaker’s Comm.) quotes Claudian in Eutrop. 1. 183:

“nec bellua tetrior ulla est,

Quam servi rabies in libera colla furentis.”

11. deferreth his anger] maketh him slow to anger, R.V.; ἐλεήμων ἀνὴρ μακροθυμεῖ, LXX. Comp. Isaiah 48:9, where the Heb. phrase is the same as here. The cognate Heb. phrase “slow to anger,” occurs frequently, e.g. Psalm 103:8. Comp. James 1:19-20.

12. as dew upon the grass] Comp. Proverbs 16:15; Psalm 72:6.

13. continual] Lit. thrusting, where one drop follows so closely upon another as to thrust it forward. “In quo gutta guttam trudit,” Maur.; “Tecta jugiter perstillantia litigiosa mulier,” Vulg. Comp. Proverbs 27:15.

14. the inheritance of] Rather, an inheritance from (R.V.); i.e. derived from.

And] Rather, But.

οἶκον καὶ ὕπαρξιν μερίζουσι πατέρες παισὶ, παρὰ δὲ κυρίου ἁρμόζεται γυνὴ ἀνδρί, LXX. Domus et divitiæ dantur a parentibus; a Domino autem proprie uxor prudens, Vulg. Comp. Proverbs 18:22; Genesis 24:12-14.



16. despiseth] i.e. pays no heed to them (is careless of, R.V.; negligit, Vulg.), through a contemptuous disregard of “the commandment” which should regulate them. Similarly for despise not, A. V., we have regard not lightly, R.V. in Hebrews 12:5. Contrast Proverbs 16:17.

17. that which he hath given] Better, his deed, A.V. marg.; or his good deed, R.V. Comp. Matthew 25:34-40.

18. while] R.V. seeing: i.e. for if done now it will not be too late.

let not thy soul spare for his crying] Rather, set not thy heart on his destruction, R.V.; lit. on causing him to die. This might mean, let not thy passionate and excessive correction kill or injure him; as LXX., Vulg. and Maurer (sed cave occidas inter castigandum), and Coverdale, “but let not thy soul be moved to slay him”; but it is better to understand it of the result of withholding correction: be not bent by thy foolish indulgence on ruining him. So A.V. marg., “Let not thy soul spare to his destruction, or to cause him to die.” Comp. 1 Kings 2:6; and Sir 30:1.

19. do it again] Because, if you deliver him by paying for him or otherwise ridding him of the “penalty” which his passionate action has brought upon him, his unbridled temper is sure to bring him into trouble again, and so you had better let things take their course.

22. is his kindness] The R.V. renders, is the measure of his kindness, in order to make the meaning clearer. The “kindness,” or “benevolence” of a man is to be measured, not by what he does, but by what he desires to do (2 Corinthians 8:12).

a liar] A poor man who would help but cannot is better than one whose circumstances or promises warrant expectations which are not fulfilled.

The proverb holds together better and is more forcible thus than if rendered, with R.V. marg., that which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness.

24. hideth his hand in his bosom] Rather, burieth his hand in the dish (R.V.), after the Oriental fashion of eating. See Proverbs 26:15, where this clause occurs again. Comp. Matthew 26:23. The Heb. word is rendered dish, 2 Kings 21:13; and (in a slightly different form) cruse (A.V. and R.V.) in 2 Kings 2:20; pan, 2 Chronicles 35:13. “It was probably a flat metal saucer of the form still common in the East,” Smith’s Dict. of Bible, Art. cruse.

25. beware] or, learn prudence, R.V.

There is a triple contrast in the proverb, between the persons to be dealt with and between both the manner and the result of dealing with them. The scorner, or hardened scoffer (λοιμός, LXX.; pestilens, Vulg.; Proverbs 1:22; Psalm 1:1, and notes there in this Series), must be smitten, punished with severity (μαστιγουμένου, LXX.; flagellato, Vulg.), but not with any hope of his amendment, but only “that others admonished by his example may be the more afraid to offend.” But if one that hath understanding errs, he only needs to be reproved (ἐὰν δὲ ἐλέγχῃς, LXX.; si corripueris, Vulg.) to make him know better.

26. wasteth] Rather, violently entreateth, R.V. marg.

27. That causeth to err] The Heb. is simply, Cease to hear instruction to err. This may mean either, with A.V., Do not listen to instruction which if you follow it will lead you astray; or better, with R.V., Do not listen to (good) instruction, only to neglect it, and err in spite of it. Comp. James 1:22; Matthew 7:26-27.

28. ungodly] Rather, worthless. See Proverbs 6:12, note.