Proverbs Chapter 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Commentary for Proverbs 20
1 It seems hard to
believe that men of the greatest abilities, as well as the ignorant,
should render themselves fools and madmen, merely for the taste or
excitement produced by strong liquors. #2|. How formidable kings are to
those who provoke them! how much more foolish then is it to provoke the
King of kings! #3|. To engage in quarrels is the greatest folly that can
be. Yield, and even give up just demands, for peace' sake. #4|. He who
labours and endures hardship in his seed-time for eternity, will be
properly diligent as to his earthly business. 5|. Though many capable of
giving wise counsel are silent, yet something may be drawn from them,
which will reward those who obtain it. #6|. It is hard to find those
that have done, and will do more good than they speak, or care to hear
spoken of. 7|. A good man is not liable to uneasiness in contriving what
he shall do, or in reflecting on what he has done, as those who walk in
deceit. And his family fare better for his sake. #8|. If great men are
good men, they may do much good, and prevent very much evil. #9|. Some
can say, Through grace, we are cleaner than we have been; but it was the
work of the Holy Spirit. #10|. See the various deceits men use, of
which the love of money is the root. The Lord will not bless what is
thus gotten. #11|. Parents should observe their children, that they may
manage them accordingly. #12|. All our powers and faculties are from
God, and are to be employed for him. #13|. Those that indulge
themselves, may expect to want necessaries, which should have been
gotten by honest labour. #14|. Men use arts to get a good bargain, and
to buy cheap; whereas a man ought to be ashamed of a fraud and a lie.
#15|. He that prefers true knowledge to riches, follows the ways of
religion and happiness. If we really believed this truth, the word of
God would be valued as it deserves, and the world would lose its
tempting influence. #16|. Those ruin themselves who entangle themselves
in rash suretiship. Also those who are in league with abandoned women.
Place no confidence in either. #17|. Wealth gotten by fraud may be
sweet, for the carnal mind takes pleasure in the success of wicked
devices; but it will be bitter in the reflection. #18|. Especially we
need advice in spiritual warfare. The word and Spirit of God are the
best counsellors in every point. #19|. Those dearly buy their own
praise, who put confidence in a man because he speaks fairly. #20|. An
undutiful child will become very miserable. Never let him expect any
peace or comfort. #21|. An estate suddenly raised, is often as suddenly
ruined. #22|. Wait on the Lord, attend his pleasure, and he will protect
thee. 23|. A bargain made by fraud will prove a losing bargain in the
end. #24|. How can we form plans, and conduct business, independently of
the Lord? #25|. The evasions men often use with their own consciences
show how false and deceitful man is. #26|. Justice should crush the
wicked, and separate them from the virtuous. #27|. The rational soul and
conscience are as a lamp within us, which should be used in examining
our dispositions and motives with the revealed will of God. #28|. Mercy
and truth are the glories of God's throne. #29|. Both young and old have
their advantages; and let neither despise or envy the other. 30|.
Severe rebukes sometimes do a great deal of good. But such is the
corruption of nature, that men are loth to be rebuked for their sins. If
God uses severe afflictions, to purify our hearts and fit us for his
service, we have cause to be very thankful.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.
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