16 Better is little, with the fear of Jehovah, Than great treasure and trouble therewith.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding `of them' with his eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun. For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun? For all his days are `but' sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 15
Commentary on Proverbs 15 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 15
Pro 15:1
Solomon, as conservator of the public peace, here tells us,
Pro 15:2
Note,
Pro 15:3
The great truths of divinity are of great use to enforce the precepts of morality, and none more than this-That the eye of God is always upon the children of men.
Pro 15:4
Note,
Pro 15:5
Hence,
Pro 15:6
Note,
Pro 15:7
This is to the same purport with v. 2, and shows what a blessing a wise man is and what a burden a fool is to those about him. Only here observe further,
Pro 15:8
Note,
Pro 15:9
This is a reason of what was said in the foregoing verse.
Pro 15:10
This shows that those who cannot bear to be corrected must expect to be destroyed.
Pro 15:11
This confirms what was said (v. 3) concerning God's omnipresence, in order to his judging of evil and good.
Pro 15:12
A scorner is one that not only makes a jest of God and religion, but bids defiance to the methods employed for his conviction and reformation, and, as an evidence of that,
Pro 15:13
Here,
Pro 15:14
Here are two things to be wondered at:-
Pro 15:15
See here what a great difference there is between the condition and temper of some and others of the children of men.
Pro 15:16-17
Solomon had said in the foregoing verse that he who has not a large estate, or a great income, but a cheerful spirit, has a continual feast; Christian contentment, and joy in God, make the life easy and pleasant; now here he tells us what is necessary to that cheerfulness of spirit which will furnish a man with a continual feast, though he has but little in the world-holiness and love.
Pro 15:18
Here is,
Pro 15:19
See here,
Pro 15:20
Observe here,
Pro 15:21
Note,
Pro 15:22
See here,
Pro 15:23
Note,
Pro 15:24
The way of wisdom and holiness is here recommended to us,
Pro 15:25
Note,
Pro 15:26
The former part of this verse speaks of thoughts, the latter of words, but they come all to one; for thoughts are words to God, and words are judged of by the thoughts from which they proceed, so that,
Pro 15:27
Note,
Pro 15:28
Here is,
Pro 15:29
Note,
Pro 15:30
Two things are here pronounced pleasant:-
Pro 15:31
Note,
Pro 15:32
See here,
Pro 15:33
See here how much it is our interest, as well as duty,